A model simulation of political segmentation through an estimation of the entropy

Abstract

The interconnectivity of a global communication system has allowed exchanges of ideas and expression producing a plethora of positive results. There have also been notable exceptions where clashes of ideas produce friction between people and even violence in the effort to dominate a political discourse. Various models have been proposed on how these ideas arise, grow and interact with each other. This paper explores how the Schelling model of segregation can be modified to represent ideological states and from this new formulation is proposed to assess the entropic trajectory of its simulation. The simple yet expressive model proposed is modified where simulations are monitored from the entropic measures of the system based upon ideological interactions and movements. A key result is that the entropy displays spikes due to randomized outside influences, and that the total entropy of the system decreases. This provides insight into how a system of politically engaged agents can be monitored for stability.

Exploring the entropic nature of political polarization through its formulation as a isolated thermodynamic system

“…www.nature.com/scientificreports/ lower value. This is something that is to be expected in an isolated system with rules aiming towards achieving homogeneity 38 , and comes into agreement with previous studies investigating the Schelling model such as in 20,23 . This does not reflect a realistic physical system that would inevitably be expected to respect the second law of thermodynamics as S I,t should be increasing.…”

“…These principles are integrated into a simple model of political polarization 35,36 where agents reside in fixed positions within a lattice. Each agent is considered to have a single value for their political affiliation 37 and strength between two choices 38 . Over simulation time the agents have these affiliation values influenced by their immediate neighbors 39 which then can affect their political positions 40,41 .…”

A possible thermodynamic definition and equation of state for a model of political election cycles

“…The simulation, given the nature of the system leading towards homogeneity when left to evolve, offers a lot of data for the average and low political engagements but the outcomes are more scarce considering higher political engagements. This scenario is seen to be lasting only few iterations as seen in [12]. This leads to great difficulty in finding a function that is able to accurately describe the behavior of the system in respect to time as it would be done usually for modelling a real cycle through an experimental engine apparatus [43,44].…”

“…A following article, [ 11 ], shows how incorporating a monetary variable into the Schelling model as a dual dynamic allows agents to change position while inducing a spending change resulting in a model that overall increases its entropy value with simulation iterations. Subsequent work in [ 12 ], proposes a model where the agents remain in the same spatial configuration but influence the agents in their immediate locality for their support of a political affiliation [ 13 ]. In [ 14 ] the authors present an approach to take the model of political discourse introduced in [ 12 ], and show that it is possible to monitor all the entropic components of the system state whereby showing that the system abides to the 2nd law of thermodynamics.…”

“…Subsequent work in [ 12 ], proposes a model where the agents remain in the same spatial configuration but influence the agents in their immediate locality for their support of a political affiliation [ 13 ]. In [ 14 ] the authors present an approach to take the model of political discourse introduced in [ 12 ], and show that it is possible to monitor all the entropic components of the system state whereby showing that the system abides to the 2nd law of thermodynamics. The works of [ 15 , 16 ] presents a general approach to investigating the thermodynamic quantities of that states within “Conway’s Game of Life” in which the temperature of the system is calculated.…”