Opinion Dynamics on Directed Complex Networks

Nicolas Fraiman (), Tzu-Chi Lin () and Mariana Olvera-Cravioto ()
Additional contact information
Nicolas Fraiman: Department of Statistics and Operations Research, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
Tzu-Chi Lin: Department of Statistics and Operations Research, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
Mariana Olvera-Cravioto: Department of Statistics and Operations Research, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599

Mathematics of Operations Research, 2025, vol. 50, issue 2, 838-870

Abstract: We propose and analyze a mathematical model for the evolution of opinions on directed complex networks. Our model generalizes the popular DeGroot and Friedkin-Johnsen models by allowing vertices to have attributes that may influence the opinion dynamics. We start by establishing sufficient conditions for the existence of a stationary opinion distribution on any fixed graph, and then provide an increasingly detailed characterization of its behavior by considering a sequence of directed random graphs having a local weak limit. Our most explicit results are obtained for graph sequences whose local weak limit is a marked Galton-Watson tree, in which case our model can be used to explain a variety of phenomena, for example, conditions under which consensus can be achieved, mechanisms in which opinions can become polarized, and the effect of disruptive stubborn agents on the formation of opinions.

Keywords: 60G10; 05C80; 60J05; 60J85; opinion dynamics; social networks; consensus/polarization; stubborn agents; stochastic process; directed graphs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/moor.2022.0250 (application/pdf)

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:inm:ormoor:v:50:y:2025:i:2:p:838-870

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Mathematics of Operations Research from INFORMS Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Asher ().