Opinion Dynamics Model Based on Cognitive Biases of Complex Agents

Pawel Sobkowicz ()

Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 2018, vol. 21, issue 4, 8

Abstract: We present an introduction to a novel way of simulating individual and group opinion dynamics, taking into account how various sources of information are filtered due to cognitive biases. The agent-based model presented here falls into the ‘complex agent’ category, in which the agents are described in considerably greater detail than in the simplest ‘spinson’ model. To describe agents’ information processing, we introduced mechanisms of updating individual belief distributions, relying on information processing. The open nature of this proposed model allows us to study the effects of various static and time-dependent biases and information filters. In particular, the paper compares the effects of two important psychological mechanisms: confirmation bias and politically motivated reasoning. This comparison has been prompted by recent experimental psychology work by Dan Kahan. Depending on the effectiveness of information filtering (agent bias), agents confronted with an objective information source can either reach a consensus based on truth, or remain divided despite the evidence. In general, this model might provide understanding into increasingly polarized modern societies, especially as it allows us to mix different types of filters: e.g., psychological, social, and algorithmic.

Keywords: Opinion Change; Motivated Reasoning; Confirmation Bias; Complex Agents; Agent Based Model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-10-31
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.jasss.org/21/4/8/8.pdf (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:jas:jasssj:2018-13-3

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation from Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Francesco Renzini ().