Dynamic social balance and convergent appraisals via homophily and influence mechanisms

DOI10.1016/J.AUTOMATICA.2019.108580zbMATH Open1429.91269arXiv1710.09498OpenAlexW2975094172MaRDI QIDQ2280970FDOQ2280970

Authors: Wenjun Mei, Pedro Cisneros-Velarde, Ge Chen, Noah E. Friedkin, Francesco Bullo 

Publication date: 19 December 2019

Published in: Automatica (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Social balance theory describes allowable and forbidden configurations of the topologies of signed directed social appraisal networks. In this paper, we propose two discrete-time dynamical systems that explain how an appraisal network extcolor{blue}{converges to} social balance from an initially unbalanced configuration. These two models are based on two different socio-psychological mechanisms respectively: the homophily mechanism and the influence mechanism. Our main theoretical contribution is a comprehensive analysis for both models in three steps. First, we establish the well-posedness and bounded evolution of the interpersonal appraisals. Second, we fully characterize the set of equilibrium points; for both models, each equilibrium network is composed by an arbitrary number of complete subgraphs satisfying structural balance. Third, we establish the equivalence among three distinct properties: non-vanishing appraisals, convergence to all-to-all appraisal networks, and finite-time achievement of social balance. In addition to theoretical analysis, Monte Carlo validations illustrates how the non-vanishing appraisal condition holds for generic initial conditions in both models. Moreover, numerical comparison between the two models indicate that the homophily-based model might be a more universal explanation for the formation of social balance. Finally, adopting the homophily-based model, we present numerical results on the mediation and globalization of local conflicts, the competition for allies, and the asymptotic formation of a single versus two factions.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1710.09498

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zbMATH Keywords

multi-agent systemsstructural balancehomophily/influence mechanismsnonlinear network dynamics

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Social networks; opinion dynamics (91D30) Discrete-time control/observation systems (93C55) Multi-agent systems (93A16) Networked control (93B70)

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Cited In (17)

• An agent-based approach to stability of complete, directed, and signed social networks with loops
• Balancing homophily and prejudices in opinion dynamics: an extended Friedkin-Johnsen model
• Balance seeking opinion dynamics model based on social judgment theory
• Modeling, analysis, and manipulation of co-evolution between appraisal dynamics and opinion dynamics
• Structural balance and interpersonal appraisals dynamics: beyond all-to-all and two-faction networks
• A study of local sign change adjustment in balancing structures
• Stabilization of a structurally balanced complex network with similar nodes of different dimensions
• On the Dynamics of Social Balance on General Networks (with an application to XOR-SAT)
• A bandwagon bias based model for opinion dynamics: Intertwining between homophily and influence mechanisms
• Evolution of social power over influence networks containing antagonistic interactions
• On the structural balance dynamics under perceived sentiment
• Signed network formation games and clustering balance
• On the herdability of linear time-invariant systems with special topological structures
• A model of social network formation under the impact of structural balance
• Structural Balance: A Dynamic Perspective
• Balance Theory with Incomplete Awareness
• Stabilization and synchronization control for complex dynamical networks with dynamic link subsystem

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