Model Background

1. Tragedy of the Commons / Common Pool Resource problem
2. Adaptation onto this model

Tragedy of the Commons / Common Pool Resource problem

In a more general context, this model attempts to describe a scenario where Tragedy of the Commons (TOC) applies, by modelling multiple agents that interact with a Common Pool Resource (CPR) ¹.

A CPR characterizes itself as a situation where a group of individuals all have access to a shared resource. Using this resource by an individual will result in benefits for this individual. However, if all individuals would use this resource, the resource will deplete, resulting in a loss for everyone.

Adaptation onto this model

This model tries to simulate aforementioned situation by simulating a community of fishermen (the agents) living on an island in the middle of a lake. The only source of food for the fishermen are the fish in the lake, making this the common resource pool. The tradeoff for the agents to make is to either go fish, therefore depleting the resource, or to leave the fish alone, allowing them to procreate. Refer to Model Architecture for a more detailed explanation of the exact code structure.