Dynamics of Conflicting Beliefs in Social Networks

Abstract

This paper analyzes two proposed models for simulating opinion dynamics in social networks where beliefs might be considered to be competing. In both models agents have a degree of tolerance, which represents the extent to which the agent takes into account the differing beliefs of other agents, and a degree of conflict, which represents the extent to which two beliefs are considered to be competing. In this paper, we apply different tolerance and conflict degrees to different groups in a network, and see how these groups affect each other. Simulations show that the groups having different tolerance degrees do not have significant effect upon each other in both Models I and II. On the other hand, the group perceiving a conflict causes more diversity in the agents based on Model I, but introduces a higher consensus level among agents when the fraction becomes larger in Model II.KeywordsOpinion dynamicsSocial networkConflicting beliefsBounded confidence