Abstract

The paper presents a survey on selected models of opinion dynamics. Both discrete (more precisely, binary) opinion models as well as continuous opinion models are discussed. We focus on frameworks that assume non-Bayesian updating of opinions. In the survey, a special attention is paid to modeling nonconformity (in particular, anticonformity) behavior. For the case of opinions represented by a binary variable, we recall the threshold model, the voter and q-voter models, the majority rule model, and the aggregation framework. For the case of continuous opinions, we present the DeGroot model and some of its variations, time-varying models, and bounded confidence models.

Highlights

  • For some issues and specific topics, opinions can be formed immediately and do not change over time despite possible interactions between individuals, in most real-life situations, opinion formation is a rich, complex, and dynamic process

  • Opinion dynamics has gained a lot of attention for over 60 years and in various scientific fields: sociology, psychology, economics, mathematics, physics, computer science, statistics, control theory, etc

  • Several related models introduced even earlier are due to sociologists: one of them is French Jr [2], whose model coincides with the DeGroot model, while Abelson [3] and Taylor [4] proposed continuous-time versions

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Summary

Introduction

For some issues and specific topics, opinions can be formed immediately and do not change over time despite possible interactions between individuals, in most real-life situations, opinion formation is a rich, complex, and dynamic process. Some examples of extensions of the DeGroot model and time-varying models are presented by DeMarzo et al [17], Golub and Jackson [18] and Büchel et al [19,20], the latter focusing on the inheritance of cultural traits along generations Another related literature is the one on social learning in the context of social networks, where individuals observe choices over time and update their beliefs (Banerjee [21], Ellison [22], Ellison and Fudenberg [23], Ellison and Fudenberg [24], Bala and Goyal [25], Bala and Goyal [26], Banerjee and Fudenberg [27]). Tempo [53,54], Anderson and Ye [58], Flache et al [59]

A Tentative Classification
The Threshold Model
The Voter and q-Voter Models
Mean-Field Approximation
Pair Approximation
The Majority Rule Model
The Aggregation Model
A Final Remark on Binary Opinion Models
The DeGroot Model and Its Variants
The Abelson Model
The Taylor Model
The Friedkin-Johnsen Model
The Altafini Model
The EPO Model
Time-Varying Models
Bounded Confidence Models
A Final Remark on Continuous Opinion Models
Conclusions
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