文章基本信息

标题：Understanding the Mechanisms of Collective Decision Making in Ecological Restoration: An Agent-Based Model of Actors and Organizations
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作者：Cristy Watkins ; Dean Massey ; Jeremy Brooks 等
期刊名称：Ecology and Society
印刷版ISSN：1708-3087
电子版ISSN：1708-3087
出版年度：2013
卷号：18
期号：2
出版社：The Resilience Alliance
摘要：Ecological restoration, particularly in urban contexts, is a complex collective decision-making process that involvesa diversity of stakeholders and experts, each with their own perceptions and preferences about what landscapes should and canlook like, how to get them to the desired state, and on what timeline. We investigate how structural and behavioral factors mayinfluence collective decision making in the context of ecological restoration, with the purpose of establishing general relationshipsbetween management styles (defined by structural and behavioral factors of the organization) and decision outcomes. Informedby existing literature on collective decision making and by empirical data from the Chicago Wilderness region, we present astylized agent-based model that maps out and simulates the processes by which individuals within restoration organizationscommunicate, discuss, and ultimately make a decision. Our study examines how structural and behavioral characteristics—including: (a) the number of actors and groups involved in decision making, (b) the frequency and type of interactions amongactors, (c) the initial setup of positions and respect, (d) outside information, and (e) entrenchment and cost of dissent—lead toor prohibit group convergence in terms of collective position, variation in position across actors, and final decision strategies.We found that formal meetings and group leaders are important facilitators of convergence, especially when multiple groupsare present, new information is introduced in the process, and participants are polarized around an issue. Also, intergroupinteractions are particularly important for overall convergence. Position entrenchment slows the convergence process andincreases the need for decision strategies involving outside intervention. Cost of dissent can reinforce these effects. Our studyformalizes collective decision-making processes within the context of ecological restoration, establishes generalizablerelationships between these processes and decision outcomes, and provides a foundation for further empirical and modelingresearch
关键词：agent-based modeling; Chicago Wilderness; collective decision making; ecological restoration