Personin

Personin is a term used in various disciplines as a placeholder for a person or person-like agent in theoretical models and discussions. It is not a standardized term with a single definition, and its meaning depends on the context. The word appears in academic and speculative writing as an abstract stand-in for a human actor in simulations, experiments, or narrative examples. In computational modeling, a personin may refer to an agent representing individual-level behavior, with parameters for demographics, preferences, and decision rules. In design and UX, personin is sometimes used interchangeably with 'persona' to illustrate user archetypes, though persona is the established term in design literature.

In philosophy or social theory, personin might be used in thought experiments about personal identity, agency, or privacy, serving as a generic placeholder for a subject under consideration. In education or workshop contexts, instructors may introduce a hypothetical personin to demonstrate data collection, consent, or ethical analysis.

Origin and usage: The coinage is modern and informal, with no formal etymology beyond the intuitive blend of 'person' and a suffix to create a noun.

See also: Persona, Agent-based model, User persona, Thought experiment, Personal identity.