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arXiv · 1908.08088

Emergence of moderate opinions as a consequence of group pressure

Nuno Crokidakis
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Abstract

In this work we study a continuous opinion dynamics model considering 3-agent interactions and group pressure. Agents interact in a fully-connected population, and two parameters govern the dynamics: the agents' convictions $\lambda$, that are homogeneous in the population, and the group pressure $p$. Stochastic parameters also drive the interactions. Our analytical and numerical results indicate that the model undergoes symmetry-breaking transitions at distinct critical points $\lambda_{c}$ for any value of $p \lambda_{c}$, we have $O>0$, i.e., a symmetry-broken phase (ferromagnetic). The numerical simulations also reveal that the increase of group pressure leads to a wider distribution of opinions, decreasing the extremism in the population.

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Nuno Crokidakis. 2019-08-21. Emergence of moderate opinions as a consequence of group pressure. https://doi.org/10.1142/s0129183119500918

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