The Impact of Attachment Strategies and Agents Heterogeneity on Networks Structures

Abstract

Networks are interdisciplinary phenomena strongly related to the world around us. This master thesis is focused on networks structures: exploiting a relatively new approach called Agent Based Modelling (ABM), we have built a model that studies whether agents heterogeneity and different attachment strategies (random attachment, preferential attachment, homophily) have an impact on network structures. In particular, we have analysed how structural measurements values change according to different parameter settings. Main objectives of the work are: • answering research questions on the impact of agents heterogeneity and attachment strategies on network structures; • providing an initial basis for further research on the same topic. The results obtained, showing both expected and unexpected trends, demonstrate that attachment strategies and agents heterogeneity do have a clear impact on networks structures measurements values.