| Sumario: | In recent years several urban studies have had their central theoretical constructs stated in the language of a computer program. The terms "simulation" and "computer simulation" have become quite fashionable and have been used by many researchers and consulting groups in "merchandising their wares." Computer programs represent a new research language or medium for those interested in urban phenomena, so it is not surprising that the quantity and quality of research to date are not uniform. Too often those who know and feel comfortable in this new medium are beginners in the subject areas under their investigation. The documentation of computer simulation models is often inadequate, especially in the areas of greatest activity in urban research-the land-use, transportation, spatial location, and urban structure models. Computationally, the Simulmatics work uses probabilities of one action or another as surrogates for the cognitive processes of the population. The underlying psychological assumptions are closely related to notions of cognitive balance, according to which the voter must "remove" inconsistencies among his own attitudes, those of his friends, and those of more remote sources.
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