Exploring the spiral of silence in adjustable social networks

Yue Wu (), Ya-Jun Du, Xian-Yong Li and Xiao-Liang Chen
Additional contact information
Yue Wu: Computer and Software Engineering School of Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, P. R. China
Ya-Jun Du: Computer and Software Engineering School of Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, P. R. China
Xian-Yong Li: Computer and Software Engineering School of Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, P. R. China
Xiao-Liang Chen: Computer and Software Engineering School of Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, P. R. China

International Journal of Modern Physics C (IJMPC), 2015, vol. 26, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: This study extends the understanding of the spiral of silence theory by taking into account four factors, including the topology of networks, the time factor of information transmission, the node degree of individuals and the freedom of expression. Simulation experiments analyze the silencers, public opinion in steady state and relaxation time in small-world networks, scale-free networks and community-structured networks by adjusting the initial conditions. Results highlight that individuals are easier to keep silent in scale-free network, especially when the individual with big degree and minority opinion starts the discussion. Conversely, there are only a few individuals keep silent in the community-structured network when the two communities hold opposite opinions. Moreover, the number of silencers grows as the degree of coupling increases, and it decreases as the freedom of expression goes up. By analyzing the public opinion evolution, we also find some important conditions, such as the network topology, the potential public opinion distribution, and the status and sides of the first speaker, can drive the minority reversal.

Keywords: Spiral of silence; network; public opinion; relaxation time (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0129183115501259
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

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:wsi:ijmpcx:v:26:y:2015:i:11:n:s0129183115501259

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from

DOI: 10.1142/S0129183115501259

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Modern Physics C (IJMPC) is currently edited by H. J. Herrmann

More articles in International Journal of Modern Physics C (IJMPC) from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Tai Tone Lim ().