Bounded confidence dynamics generates opinion cascades on growing scale-free networks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how opinion cascades form in growing scale-free networks under bounded confidence dynamics, revealing the role of agent arrivals as bridges that trigger cluster mergers and proposing theoretical models to describe these phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of opinion cascades triggered by agent arrivals acting as bridges, and provides theoretical approximations for their behavior in dynamic scale-free networks.

Findings

Minor clusters form on the opinion space periphery and merge suddenly with major clusters.

Agent arrivals as bridges trigger opinion cascades and cluster mergers.

Theoretical models approximate cascade shapes and merging behavior.

Abstract

We study the pairwise bounded confidence model on scale-free networks where new agents regularly arrive over time. The probability that arriving agents form links to preexisting ones depends on both agent degree and opinion proximity. In parameter value ranges where both factors impact the link choice, a new phenomenon is observed. Minor clusters continuously form on the periphery of the opinion space and remain stable for a time, before suddenly merging with a major cluster in the network. We label these processes as "opinion cascades", and analyse their origin and behavior. They are triggered by the arrival of agents acting as "bridges" between the previously disconnected minor and major clusters. Lastly, we propose theoretical approximations to describe the varying shapes and merging behavior of opinion cascades under different conditions.