The Peace Mediator Effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new opinion dynamics model based on cognitive dissonance, exploring how peace mediators like diplomats and auctoritates influence social consensus and opinion formation.

Contribution

It proposes a novel model incorporating cognitive dissonance into social dynamics and analyzes the impact of peace mediators on opinion evolution.

Findings

Peace mediators influence opinion convergence

Diplomats and auctoritates have distinct effects on social harmony

Model aligns with psychological theories of dissonance

Abstract

Statistical mechanics has proven to be able to capture the fundamental rules underlying phenomena of social aggregation and opinion dynamics, well studied in disciplines like sociology and psychology. This approach is based on the underlying paradigm that the interesting dynamics of multi-agent systems emerge from the correct definition of few parameters governing the evolution of each individual. Into this context, we propose a new model of opinion dynamics based on the psychological construct named "cognitive dissonance". Our system is made of interacting individuals, the agents, each bearing only two dynamical variables (respectively "opinion" and "affinity") self-consistently adjusted during time evolution. We also define two special classes of interacting entities, both acting for a peace mediation process but via different course of action: "diplomats" and "auctoritates". The behaviour of the system with and without peace mediators (PMs) is investigated and discussed with reference to corresponding psychological and social implications.