Social power and opinion formation in complex networks

Mahdi Jalili

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2013, vol. 392, issue 4, 959-966

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the effects of social power on the evolution of opinions in model networks as well as in a number of real social networks. A continuous opinion formation model is considered and the analysis is performed through numerical simulation. Social power is given to a proportion of agents selected either randomly or based on their degrees. As artificial network structures, we consider scale-free networks constructed through preferential attachment and Watts–Strogatz networks. Numerical simulations show that scale-free networks with degree-based social power on the hub nodes have an optimal case where the largest number of the nodes reaches a consensus. However, given power to a random selection of nodes could not improve consensus properties. Introducing social power in Watts–Strogatz networks could not significantly change the consensus profile.

Keywords: Complex networks; Social networks; Dynamic opinion formation; Consensus; Social power (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:392:y:2013:i:4:p:959-966

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2012.10.013

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