TY - GEN
T1 - Cultural polarization and the role of extremist agents
T2 - 6th International Conference on Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction, SBP 2013
AU - Shutters, Shade
PY - 2013/3/14
Y1 - 2013/3/14
N2 - Cultural dynamics can be heavily influenced by extremists. To better understand this influence, temporal dynamics of an arbitrary cultural belief are simulated in a simple computational model. Extremist agents, holding an immutable and extreme belief, are used to examine the process of polarization - adoption of the extremist belief by the entire population. Two possible methods of counteracting polarization are examined, removal of the extremist agent and introducing a counter-extremist which holds an immutable belief at the opposite extreme. Eliminating the extremist agent is only effective at the onset of cultural transition, while introducing a counter-extremist is effective at any time and will lead to a dynamic intermediate belief. Finally, a parameter governing the society's willingness to adopt new beliefs is varied. As it decreases, extremist agents are unable polarize a society. Instead the population breaks permanently into two or more belief groups. The study closes with a possible pathway for extremists to nevertheless polarize a society not open to new beliefs.
AB - Cultural dynamics can be heavily influenced by extremists. To better understand this influence, temporal dynamics of an arbitrary cultural belief are simulated in a simple computational model. Extremist agents, holding an immutable and extreme belief, are used to examine the process of polarization - adoption of the extremist belief by the entire population. Two possible methods of counteracting polarization are examined, removal of the extremist agent and introducing a counter-extremist which holds an immutable belief at the opposite extreme. Eliminating the extremist agent is only effective at the onset of cultural transition, while introducing a counter-extremist is effective at any time and will lead to a dynamic intermediate belief. Finally, a parameter governing the society's willingness to adopt new beliefs is varied. As it decreases, extremist agents are unable polarize a society. Instead the population breaks permanently into two or more belief groups. The study closes with a possible pathway for extremists to nevertheless polarize a society not open to new beliefs.
KW - consensus
KW - cultural transitions
KW - extremism
KW - networks
KW - social simulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874796427&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84874796427&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-642-37210-0_11
DO - 10.1007/978-3-642-37210-0_11
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84874796427
SN - 9783642372094
T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
SP - 93
EP - 101
BT - Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction - 6th International Conference, SBP 2013, Proceedings
Y2 - 2 April 2013 through 5 April 2013
ER -