Session K6 at MODSIM2015: Modelling human decision-making situated in socio-ecological system models of land-use transitions

Session K6: Modelling human decision-making situated in socio-ecological system models of land-use transitions

Within Stream: Participatory decision making and modelling social systems (led by Susan Cuddy and Sondoss Elsawah)

Session organisers
Dr. Quang Bao Le ([email protected]; [email protected])
Dr. Roman Seidl ([email protected])
Dr. Grace Villamor ([email protected])

Session description

Understanding how human actors perceive and adapt to social-ecological changes is crucial to manage sustainable land-use transformations. Despite the wide range of available conceptual and technical options for modelling human perception and decision-making, many studies modelled human behaviour rather independently than embedded in SES models. Human decision-making components encoded in precedent SES modelling studies have been limited regarding the utilization of available decision/behavioural theories and methodologies, e.g. the accommodative adaptation perspective. In the long term, adaptive decisions on land use are not only perceiving environmental changes in short term and acting based on pre-existing cognitive schemas/behaviour rules (assimilative adaptation), but also modifying the pre-existing schemas/rules to deal better with new situations (accommodative adaptation). Representing land-use decisions co-evolving with the social-ecological environment over time and space remains a key challenge of coupled socio-ecological system (SES) models of land-use transitions.

Independently, some studies have recently proposed conceptual criteria for describing or designing relevant human behaviour component of SES model, and explore alternative methods. This session, therefore, aims by bringing together researchers who treat human perception and decision-making as components embedded within SES model of long-term land-use transitions ̶ here so-called SES-situated human decisions modelling ̶ at the forefront of innovative solutions.

Topics include, but are not limited to, advances in

  • Designing criteria and/or framework for modelling adaptive human decision making, from assimilative to accommodative within SES models of land-use transitions.
  • Methods for modelling human adaptation following intermediated/short-term and accumulated/long-term social-ecological feedback loops across multiple scales.
  • Operational, case-based application of contemporary decision-making theories, ranging from psychologies to modern economics, to model human behaviour situated in the SES context.
  • Methods for uncertainty analysis of human behaviour models in relevant to long-term land-use transition.
  • Participatory processes and tools, with proven case studies, for modelling human decisions situated in either SES simulation models, or SES-based transdisciplinary processes of land-use transition management.

Important dates (http://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim2015/dates.html)
Expression of interest – title and 250-500 word summary April 10, 2015
Note that you must submit an Expression of interest if you intend to submit a full Paper or Extended Abstract for presentation at the conference. Log in or create a new account at the top right of the screen.
Notification of expression of interest acceptance April 30, 2015
Separate Extended Abstracts OR Full Papers (which include an extended abstract) must be submitted by July 3, 2015 for reviewing
Reviewed and corrected Extended Abstracts OR Full Papers must be submitted by October 2, 2015, to allow for publication details to be finalised
It is anticipated that, as in the past, all papers accepted for the proceedings of the MODSIM2015 conference will be indexed in the Web of Knowledge CPCI database.

Registration dates
Early Bird Registration August 28, 2015
All presenting authors to be registered by October 30, 2015
Last day to register November 20, 2015