The influence of structural balance and homophily/heterophobia on the adjustment of random complete signed networks

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The mixed empirical support for balance theory is often explained by recourse to competing mechanisms that reduce the total degree of balance in the network. These mechanisms (such as differential popularity and subgroup hostility) may depend on exogenous properties of the nodes. This paper offers an alternative explanation to violations of balance, according to which the local/myopic nature of sign adjustment in accordance with balance may reduce the global degree of balance and impede the formation of groups, whereas other mechanisms that rely on exogenous node properties (e.g., homophily) facilitate these processes. The paper describes a set of simulations designed to study the evolution of complete signed networks under a local sign-change regime, induced by structural balance, homophily and heterophobia. Tolerance for local violation of balance and homophily is allowed to vary with a consequent impact upon the global degree of balance and group formation processes. We find the conditions under which the pressure towards local homophily and balance operate against each other so that homophily adjusts towards group formation but balance undermines this process.

The evolution of cooperation in signed networks under the impact of structural balance

“…According to the definition of structural balance in fully signed networks, there are only four kinds of balanced triangles, as shown in Fig 1 [ 57 ]. From a whole-network view, a balanced structure can be formed as shown in Fig 2 , which assumes the principle of homophily, namely, individuals tend to imitate their friends’ attributes, while having different attributes from those of their enemies [ 58 , 59 ]. However, this assumption is not entirely appropriate for the PD model, because the node strategy (cooperation or defection) in the PD model has its distinct payoff, while the structural balance model assumes equality of different node attributes.…”

The effect of social balance on social fragmentation

“…It remains unclear, however, what would happen to society if these two effects were to occur simultaneously and adaptively. While this question has been recently addressed in a number of works [43][44][45][46][47][48], a unified modelling framework able to quantify the combined effect of social balance and opinion dynamics has not yet been developed.…”

Sign Prediction on Social Networks Based Nodal Features

“…However, compared with link prediction, sign prediction is still in its beginning stage due to the following di culties. One the hand, the e ects of negative and positive signs are unbalanced or unwieldy in signed social networks [7,8]. Positive signs can be propagated between members of social networks while negative signs cannot.…”