Opinion dynamics in a group-based society

Abstract

Many models have been proposed to analyze the evolution of opinion structure due to the interaction of individuals in their social environment. Such models analyze the spreading of ideas both in completely interacting backgrounds and on social networks, where each person has a finite set of interlocutors. In this paper we analyze the reciprocal feedback between the opinions of the individuals and the structure of the interpersonal relationships at the level of community structures. For this purpose we define a group-based random network and we study how this structure co-evolves with opinion dynamics processes. We observe that the adaptive network structure affects the opinion dynamics process helping the consensus formation. The results also show interesting behaviors in regards to the size distribution of the groups and their correlation with opinion structure.

Continuous Opinion Dynamics on an Adaptive Coupled Random Network

“…The critical value is averaged at ε = 0.182 under all different interconnectivity values. This result is consistent with Gargiulo and Huet's work [13]. The boundary between "polarization" and "consensus" is blurry due to the existence of the mixed-phase II-III.…”

“…At each interconnectivity level, the stationary opinions are more likely to converge with the increase of the parameter ε. This phenomenon is basically in line with the previous bounded confidence models, as analyzed in [3] and [13]. However, the effect of this parameter deserves further examinations.…”

“…This idea furthermore coincide with Gargiulo and Huet's model [13]. The major difference between the two models is two-fold.…”

“…It is deserved to further compare the phase-transition boundaries in our model with those in Gargiulo and Huet's model [13], owing to the intrinsic similarity between the two models. First, consider the phase boundary between fragmentation and polarization.…”

“…However, the studies on opinion dynamics on the adaptive modular networks are largely inadequate. An exception is the work presented in [13,12], in which Gargiulo and Huet developed a bounded-confidence model that embraces Festinger's idea of "cognitive dissonance" [9] so that an agent either makes opinion exchange with a neighbor or moves toward another community. They found a lower threshold for consensus in their model than that in the original Deffuant model.…”