Opinion dynamics model with domain size dependent dynamics: novel features and new universality class

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new opinion dynamics model where individuals' opinions depend on neighboring domain sizes, revealing a novel universality class with distinct critical exponents and robustness to disorder.

Contribution

The study presents a new opinion dynamics model based on domain size dependence, identifying a new universality class with unique critical exponents and demonstrating its robustness and long-time behavior.

Findings

Belongs to a new universality class with z=1.0 and θ≈0.235

Robust critical behavior under various annealed disorders

Model's dynamics dominated by biased random walkers for ε > 0.5

Abstract

A model for opinion dynamics (Model I) has been recently introduced in which the binary opinions of the individuals are determined according to the size of their neighboring domains (population having the same opinion). The coarsening dynamics of the equivalent Ising model shows power law behavior and has been found to belong to a new universality class with the dynamic exponent $z=1.0 \pm 0.01$ and persistence exponent $\theta \simeq 0.235$ in one dimension. The critical behavior has been found to be robust for a large variety of annealed disorder that has been studied. Further, by mapping Model I to a system of random walkers in one dimension with a tendency to walk towards their nearest neighbour with probability $\epsilon$, we find that for any $\epsilon > 0.5$, the Model I dynamical behaviour is prevalent at long times.