# Tangled Worldview Model of Opinion Dynamics

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a model of opinion dynamics inspired by ecological evolution, demonstrating how social network structure and agent influence lead to intermittent polarization and opinion surges.

## Contribution

It presents a novel worldview evolution model incorporating mutual similarity and social influence, revealing complex co-evolution and polarization phenomena.

## Key findings

- Scale-free networks cause intermittent polarization events.
- Influential agents significantly impact worldview shifts.
- Network structure affects opinion surge dynamics.

## Abstract

We study the joint evolution of worldviews by proposing a model of opinion dynamics, which is inspired in notions from evolutionary ecology. Agents update their opinion on a specific issue based on their propensity to change -- asserted by the social neighbours -- weighted by their mutual similarity on other issues. Agents are, therefore, more influenced by neighbours with similar worldviews (set of opinions on various issues), resulting in a complex co-evolution of each opinion. Simulations show that the worldview evolution exhibits events of intermittent polarization when the social network is scale-free. This, in turn, trigger extreme crashes and surges in the popularity of various opinions. Using the proposed model, we highlight the role of network structure, bounded rationality of agents, and the role of key influential agents in causing polarization and intermittent reformation of worldviews on scale-free networks.