Simulations of Group Dynamics with Different Models

A socio-matrix (or Moreno matrix) describes relations between members of a group. Such a matrix can also be used to predict the dynamics of a group, i.e., the behaviour of the group members is determined by the values of the matrix. Several different models are used to analyse group dynamics based on Moreno matrices, namely a cellular automaton (CA), a Kohonen feature map (KFM), an interactive neural net (IN), and a genetic algorithm (GA). The results of the different models are compared; the models produce rather similar effects. In addition the predictions of the models are compared with empirical observations with respect to groups of students and children in a summer camp. The models are quite efficient in predicting real social behaviour.