Percolation and Galam Theory of Minority Opinion Spreading

TL;DR

This paper explores how opinions spread and reach consensus using a model that combines percolation theory with Galam's probabilistic opinion dynamics, revealing phase transitions in opinion acceptance.

Contribution

It introduces a model integrating percolation clusters with Galam's opinion dynamics, demonstrating how opinion consensus depends on percolation thresholds.

Findings

Rejection of reform occurs below the percolation threshold.

Approval of reform emerges at and above the percolation threshold.

The model shows phase transition behavior in opinion spreading.

Abstract

The way in which an opinion rejecting reform can finally become the consensus of everyone was studied by Galam (2002) in a probabilistic model. We now replace his clusters by those formed via random percolation by letting particles diffuse on a lattice. Galam's rejection of reform is reproduced below the percolation threshold, whereas at and above the threshold, also approval of a reform becomes possible.