The influence of persuasion in opinion formation and polarization

C. E. LA ROCCA; L. A. BRAUNSTEIN; F. VAZQUEZ

EUROPHYSICS LETTERS

EPL ASSOCIATION

Lugar: Mulhouse Cede; Año: 2014 vol. 104 p. 40004 - 40004

0295-5075

We present a model that explores the influence of persuasion in a population of agents with positive and negative opinion orientations. The opinion of each agent is represented by an integer number k that expresses its level of agreement on a given issue, from totally against k=-M to totally in favor k = M. Same-orientation agents persuade each other with probability p, becoming more extreme, while opposite-orientation agents become more moderate as they reach a compromise with probability q. The population initially evolves to (a) a polarized state for r=p/q > 1, where opinions´ distribution is peaked at the extreme values , or (b) a centralized state for r < 1, with most opinions around k=+-1. When r>>1, polarization lasts for a time that diverges as r^M ln(N), where N is the population´s size. Finally, an extremist consensus (k = M or -M) is reached in a time that scales as 1/r for r>>1 .