A model of interacting multiple choices of continuous opinions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a dynamic model of opinion formation involving multiple choices, where individuals influence each other based on social pressure and opinion differences, leading to eventual consensus.

Contribution

It presents a novel opinion dynamics model with multiple choices and social influence, analyzing how consensus is achieved over time.

Findings

Consensus is always attainable in the model.

Convergence time increases with social pressure sensitivity.

Influence likelihood affects the speed of reaching consensus.

Abstract

We present a model of interacting multiple choices of opinions. At each step of the process, a listener is persuaded by his/her neighbour, the lobbyist, to modify his/her opinion on two different choices of event. Whether or not the listener will be convinced by the lobbyist depends on the difference between his/her opinion with that of the lobbyist, and with that of the revealed social opinion (the social pressure). If the listener is convinced, he/she will modify his/her opinion and update his/her revealed preference, and proceed to persuade his/her next neighbour. If the listener is not convinced by the lobbyist, he/she will retain his/her revealed preference, and try to persuade the lobbyist to change his/her opinion. In this case, the direction of opinion propagation is reversed. A consensus is reached when all the revealed preference is the same. Our numerical results show that consensus can always be attained in this model. However, the time needed to achieve consensus, or the so-called convergence time, is longer if the listener is more concerned with the public opinion, or is less likely to be influenced by the lobbyist.