TY - JOUR
T1 - A relative approach to opinion formation
AU - Chan, Kit Ming Danny
AU - Duivenvoorden, Robert
AU - Flache, Andreas
AU - Mandjes, Michel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Formal models of opinion formation commonly represent an individual’s opinion by a value on a fixed opinion interval. We propose an alternative modeling method wherein interpretation is only provided to the relative positions of opinions vis-à-vis each other. This method is then considered in a similar setting as the discrete-time Altafini model (an extension of the well-known DeGroot model), but with more general influence weights. Even in a linear framework, the model can describe, in the long run, polarization, dynamics with a periodic pattern, and (modulus) consensus formation. In addition, in our alternative approach key characteristics of the opinion dynamic can be derived from real-valued square matrices of influence weights, which immediately allows one to transfer matrix theory insights to the field of opinion formation dynamics under more relaxed conditions than in the DeGroot or discrete-time Altafini models. A few specific themes are covered: (i) We demonstrate how stable patterns in relative opinion dynamics are identified which are hidden when opinions are considered in an absolute opinion framework. (ii) For the two-agent case, we provide an exhaustive closed-form description of the relative opinion model’s dynamic in the long run. (iii) We explore group dynamics analytically, in particular providing a non-trivial condition under which a subgroup’s asymptotic behavior carries over to the entire population.
AB - Formal models of opinion formation commonly represent an individual’s opinion by a value on a fixed opinion interval. We propose an alternative modeling method wherein interpretation is only provided to the relative positions of opinions vis-à-vis each other. This method is then considered in a similar setting as the discrete-time Altafini model (an extension of the well-known DeGroot model), but with more general influence weights. Even in a linear framework, the model can describe, in the long run, polarization, dynamics with a periodic pattern, and (modulus) consensus formation. In addition, in our alternative approach key characteristics of the opinion dynamic can be derived from real-valued square matrices of influence weights, which immediately allows one to transfer matrix theory insights to the field of opinion formation dynamics under more relaxed conditions than in the DeGroot or discrete-time Altafini models. A few specific themes are covered: (i) We demonstrate how stable patterns in relative opinion dynamics are identified which are hidden when opinions are considered in an absolute opinion framework. (ii) For the two-agent case, we provide an exhaustive closed-form description of the relative opinion model’s dynamic in the long run. (iii) We explore group dynamics analytically, in particular providing a non-trivial condition under which a subgroup’s asymptotic behavior carries over to the entire population.
KW - Altafini model
KW - DeGroot model
KW - group structure
KW - Opinion dynamics
KW - polarization
KW - social influence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129230704&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/0022250X.2022.2036142
DO - 10.1080/0022250X.2022.2036142
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85129230704
SN - 0022-250X
VL - 48
SP - 1
EP - 41
JO - Journal of Mathematical Sociology
JF - Journal of Mathematical Sociology
IS - 1
ER -