IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v204y2023ipas0921800922003123.html

A framework for agent-based models of human needs and ecological limits

Author

Listed:
  • Foramitti, Joël

Abstract

The social and ecological challenges of our time require a better understanding of the complex interactions between the multiple dimensions of human well-being and environmental impacts. This article introduces the Needs and Limits (N&L) framework, a theoretical and computational foundation for agent-based simulations of heterogeneous individuals who try to increase their quality of life through the satisfaction of human needs. Based on psychological research, human needs are described as satiable, adaptive, and interdependent with the social and bio-physical environment. The N&L framework represents a generic foundation that can be applied to a broad range of socio-economic and ecological scenarios. A comparison is provided with classical utility approaches. The framework is illustrated for the topics of income inequality and climate policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Foramitti, Joël, 2023. "A framework for agent-based models of human needs and ecological limits," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:204:y:2023:i:pa:s0921800922003123
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107651
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800922003123
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107651?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giovanni Dosi & Mauro Napoletano & Andrea Roventini & Joseph E. Stiglitz & Tania Treibich, 2020. "Rational Heuristics? Expectations And Behaviors In Evolving Economies With Heterogeneous Interacting Agents," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(3), pages 1487-1516, July.
    2. Wolfgang Fellner & Benedikt Goehmann, 2017. "Human Needs and the Measurement of Welfare," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2017_07, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    3. González-Méndez, Mauricio & Olaya, Camilo & Fasolino, Isidoro & Grimaldi, Michele & Obregón, Nelson, 2021. "Agent-Based Modeling for Urban Development Planning based on Human Needs. Conceptual Basis and Model Formulation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    4. Ed Diener & Robert Biswas-Diener, 2002. "Will Money Increase Subjective Well-Being?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 119-169, February.
    5. Wander Jager, 2017. "Enhancing the Realism of Simulation (EROS): On Implementing and Developing Psychological Theory in Social Simulation," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14.
    6. Costanza, Robert & Fisher, Brendan & Ali, Saleem & Beer, Caroline & Bond, Lynne & Boumans, Roelof & Danigelis, Nicholas L. & Dickinson, Jennifer & Elliott, Carolyn & Farley, Joshua & Gayer, Diane Elli, 2007. "Quality of life: An approach integrating opportunities, human needs, and subjective well-being," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2-3), pages 267-276, March.
    7. Ian Gough, 2015. "Climate change and sustainable welfare: the centrality of human needs," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 39(5), pages 1191-1214.
    8. Marc Lavoie, 2014. "Post-Keynesian Economics: New Foundations," Post-Print hal-01343652, HAL.
    9. Jalas, Mikko, 2002. "A time use perspective on the materials intensity of consumption," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 109-123, April.
    10. Alison Pritchard & Miles Richardson & David Sheffield & Kirsten McEwan, 2020. "The Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Eudaimonic Well-Being: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1145-1167, March.
    11. Franziska Klein & Jeroen van den Bergh, 2021. "The employment double dividend of environmental tax reforms: exploring the role of agent behaviour and social interaction," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 189-213, April.
    12. Robert Cummins, 1996. "The domains of life satisfaction: An attempt to order chaos," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 303-328, January.
    13. Mohsen Joshanloo & Veljko Jovanović & Tim Taylor, 2019. "A multidimensional understanding of prosperity and well-being at country level: Data-driven explorations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-31, October.
    14. Daniel W. O’Neill & Andrew L. Fanning & William F. Lamb & Julia K. Steinberger, 2018. "A good life for all within planetary boundaries," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(2), pages 88-95, February.
    15. Monica Guillen Royo, 2007. "Well-being and Consumption: Towards a Theoretical Approach Based on Human Need Satisfaction," Chapters, in: Luigino Bruni & Pier Luigi Porta (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Happiness, chapter 8, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. J. Doyne Farmer & Duncan Foley, 2009. "The economy needs agent-based modelling," Nature, Nature, vol. 460(7256), pages 685-686, August.
    17. Brand-Correa, Lina I. & Steinberger, Julia K., 2017. "A Framework for Decoupling Human Need Satisfaction From Energy Use," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 43-52.
    18. Konc, Théo & Savin, Ivan & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2021. "The social multiplier of environmental policy: Application to carbon taxation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    19. Leonhard Lades, 2013. "Explaining shapes of Engel curves: the impact of differential satiation dynamics on consumer behavior," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 1023-1045, November.
    20. Seeley, Eric, 1992. "Human needs and consumer economics: the implications of Maslow's theory of motivation for consumer expenditure patterns," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 303-324.
    21. Mariano Rojas, 2006. "Life satisfaction and satisfaction in domains of life: is it a simple relationship?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 467-497, November.
    22. Andrew T. Jebb & Louis Tay & Ed Diener & Shigehiro Oishi, 2018. "Happiness, income satiation and turning points around the world," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 33-38, January.
    23. Richard M. Ryan & Veronika Huta & Edward Deci, 2008. "Living well: a self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 139-170, January.
    24. Juana Castro & Stefan Drews & Filippos Exadaktylos & Joël Foramitti & Franziska Klein & Théo Konc & Ivan Savin & Jeroen van den Bergh, 2020. "A review of agent‐based modeling of climate‐energy policy," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(4), July.
    25. Jason Hickel & Paul Brockway & Giorgos Kallis & Lorenz Keyßer & Manfred Lenzen & Aljoša Slameršak & Julia Steinberger & Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, 2021. "Urgent need for post-growth climate mitigation scenarios," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 766-768, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shuai Zhang & Dajian Zhu & Lilian Li, 2023. "Urbanization, Human Inequality, and Material Consumption," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Foramitti, Joël & Savin, Ivan & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2024. "How carbon pricing affects multiple human needs: An agent-based model analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    3. Jingheng Wang & Meichen Fu & Xiangxue Han & Yuting Wu & Hongyan Wen, 2025. "Research on Human Needs and the Valorization of Supply–Need Relationships in Ecosystem Services—A Case Study of the Southwest Karst Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-28, March.
    4. Shintaro Miyazaki, 2023. "Heterodox modeling: practicing well-tuned provisioning or commoning with networked multi-agent environments," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 597-610, October.
    5. Keyßer, Lorenz & Steinberger, Julia & Schmelzer, Matthias, 2025. "Economic growth dependencies and imperatives: A review of key theories and their conflicts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Foramitti, Joël & Savin, Ivan & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2024. "How carbon pricing affects multiple human needs: An agent-based model analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    2. Richard Bärnthaler & Andreas Novy & Leonhard Plank, 2021. "The Foundational Economy as a Cornerstone for a Social–Ecological Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    3. Riepl, Tobias & Schaffartzik, Anke & Grabow, Simon & Banabak, Selim, 2025. "Living well with the foundational economy: Assessing the spatial accessibility of foundational infrastructures in Vienna and the relationship to socio-economic status," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    4. Chang-ming Hsieh & Qiguang Li, 2022. "Importance Weighting in the Domain-of-Life Approach to Subjective Well-Being: the Consideration of Age," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 525-540, April.
    5. Isaak Mengesha & Debraj Roy, 2025. "Carbon pricing drives critical transition to green growth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Clube, Rebecca K.M. & Tennant, Mike, 2020. "The Circular Economy and human needs satisfaction: Promising the radical, delivering the familiar," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    7. Halliki Kreinin & Ernest Aigner, 2022. "From “Decent work and economic growth” to “Sustainable work and economic degrowth”: a new framework for SDG 8," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 49(2), pages 281-311, May.
    8. Elke Pirgmaier & Julia K. Steinberger, 2019. "Roots, Riots, and Radical Change—A Road Less Travelled for Ecological Economics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, April.
    9. Pallante, Gianluca & Guerini, Mattia & Napoletano, Mauro & Roventini, Andrea, 2025. "Robust-less-fragile: Tackling systemic risk and financial contagion in a macro agent-based model," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    10. V. K. Shrotryia & Shashank Vikram Pratap Singh, 2020. "Measuring Progress Beyond GDP: A Theoretical Perspective," Emerging Economy Studies, International Management Institute, vol. 6(2), pages 143-165, November.
    11. van den Bergh, Jeroen, 2023. "Climate policy versus growth concerns: Suggestions for economic research and communication," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    12. Vogel, Jefim & Guerin, Gauthier & O'Neill, Daniel W. & Steinberger, Julia K., 2024. "Safeguarding livelihoods against reductions in economic output," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    13. Dirk Lauinger & Romain G. Billy & Felipe Vásquez & Daniel B. Müller, 2021. "A general framework for stock dynamics of populations and built and natural environments," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1136-1146, October.
    14. Vivien Fisch-Romito, 2021. "Embodied carbon dioxide emissions to provide high access levels to basic infrastructure around the world," Post-Print hal-03353919, HAL.
    15. Jorge Guardiola & Francisco González-Gómez & Ángel Lendechy Grajales, 2013. "The Influence of Water Access in Subjective Well-Being: Some Evidence in Yucatan, Mexico," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(1), pages 207-218, January.
    16. Lamperti, F. & Dosi, G. & Napoletano, M. & Roventini, A. & Sapio, A., 2018. "Faraway, So Close: Coupled Climate and Economic Dynamics in an Agent-based Integrated Assessment Model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 315-339.
    17. Severin Reissl, 2021. "Heterogeneous expectations, forecasting behaviour and policy experiments in a hybrid Agent-based Stock-flow-consistent model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 251-299, January.
    18. Timo von Wirth & Adrienne Grêt-Regamey & Michael Stauffacher, 2015. "Mediating Effects Between Objective and Subjective Indicators of Urban Quality of Life: Testing Specific Models for Safety and Access," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 189-210, May.
    19. Akinori Kitsuki & Shunsuke Managi, 2023. "Importance Weighting in Subjective Well-Being Measures: Using Marginal Utilities as Weights for Domain Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1101-1120, March.
    20. Federico Gabriele & Aldo Glielmo & Marco Taboga, 2025. "Heterogeneous RBCs via Deep Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning," Papers 2510.12272, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2026.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:204:y:2023:i:pa:s0921800922003123. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.