An opinion dynamics model of meta-contrast with continuous social influence forces

Christopher W. Weimer, J.O. Miller, Raymond R. Hill and Douglas D. Hodson

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2022, vol. 589, issue C

Abstract: Opinion dynamics is the study of how opinions in a group of individuals change over time and opinion dynamics models attempt to mathematically formulate this process. This research lays the foundations for, and develops the meta-contrast influence field model, a novel opinion dynamics model based on self-categorization theory. It improves on the existing meta-contrast model by providing a properly scaled, continuous influence basis while replicating key results of the original model. This influence basis is modular in nature, allowing future research to include other competing psychological forces in the mathematical formulation of influence. This flexibility is achieved while drastically reducing computational complexity, making feasible larger models of more psychologically complex agents.

Keywords: Opinion dynamics; Sociophysics; Social influence; Agent-based model; Self-categorization theory; Meta-contrast (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378437121008748
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only. Journal offers the option of making the article available online on Science direct for a fee of $3,000

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:589:y:2022:i:c:s0378437121008748

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2021.126617

Access Statistics for this article

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications is currently edited by K. A. Dawson, J. O. Indekeu, H.E. Stanley and C. Tsallis

More articles in Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().