Collective beliefs versus individual inflexibility: The unavoidable biases of a public debate

Serge Galam

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2011, vol. 390, issue 17, 3036-3054

Abstract: The combined effects of collective beliefs and individual inflexibility in the dynamics of a public debate are investigated using the Galam sequential probabilistic model of opinion dynamics. The study is focused on pair interactions for which the bias produced by collective beliefs is the decisive factor to win the debate. The current value of that bias is a fixed external parameter. It is a constant of the problem not given to change. In contrast, inflexibility is an individual property. It results from external ingredients, which are susceptible to be modified during the debate. More precisely, giving some beliefs we determine the required inflexibility to oppose its associated bias in the debate outcome. The results shed a new and counter intuitive light on paradoxical outcomes of sensitive issues, which are discussed in the public. The cases of global warming issue and debate over evolution are discussed.

Keywords: Sociophysics; Opinion dynamics; Collective beliefs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:390:y:2011:i:17:p:3036-3054

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2011.03.021

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