Social power and opinion formation in complex networks

• DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2012.10.013
• Publication Date: 2012-10-23T13:00:58Z
• Authors: Mahdi Jalili
• Keywords: Social network (sociolinguistics); Scale-free network; Consensus theory; Preferential attachment; Evolving networks; Degree (music)

Abstract In this paper we investigate the effects of social power on the evolution of opinions in model networks as well as in a number of real social networks. A continuous opinion formation model is considered and the analysis is performed through numerical simulation. Social power is given to a proportion of agents selected either randomly or based on their degrees. As artificial network structures, we consider scale-free networks constructed through preferential attachment and Watts–Strogatz networks. Numerical simulations show that scale-free networks with degree-based social power on the hub nodes have an optimal case where the largest number of the nodes reaches a consensus. However, given power to a random selection of nodes could not improve consensus properties. Introducing social power in Watts–Strogatz networks could not significantly change the consensus profile.