P-SPACE: A program for simulating spatial behavior in small groups

P-SPACE is a computer program that simulates spatial behavior in a small gr oup of individuals. The program describes how interpersonal distances chang e through time as a result of changes in microlevel features, such as the m inimization of focal dissatisfaction. Agents are located in a two-dimension al lattice and can move some discrete space units at each discrete time uni t within their neighborhood. A nonsymmetrical matrix of ideal distances bet ween agents must be specified. Agents move in order to minimize their dissa tisfaction, defined as a function of the discrepancy between possible futur e distances and ideal distances between agents. At each iteration, agents w ill move to those cells in their neighborhoods for which the function is mi nimized. Depending on the specific values in the ideal-distance matrix, dif ferent kinds of social dynamics can be simulated.