Competitive spreading of multiple opinions in complex social networks: a simulation study

• Main Author: Feng, Yue
• Other Authors: Xiao Gaoxi
• Format: Thesis-Master by Coursework
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/181859
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Due to the inherent independence of individuals, diverse ideas invariably emerge within social networks. Some of these ideas exert suppressive effects on the dissemination of opposing opinions, while others tend to coexist harmoniously alongside them. Given that individuals are consistently situated within social networks, their viewpoints are subtly influenced by those of their friends and relatives. Simultaneously, with the advancement of social media and network technologies, the propagation of opinions in contemporary social networks often occurs at multiple levels, encompassing both online and offline interpersonal connections as well as various media platforms. Therefore, this dissertation aims to explore the intricate dynamics of opinion spreading, investigate its evolutionary processes, and analyze its underlying causes and mechanisms. The study builds a two-layer scale-free network as the platform for opinion spreading considering the characteristics of social networks. It conducts simulations in three scenarios: non-exclusive idea vs. non-exclusive idea, non-exclusive idea vs. exclusive idea, and exclusive idea vs. exclusive idea. The results are compared with the spread of ideas in a single-layer scale-free network with the same parameters to analyze the similarities and differences between multi-level spreading and single-level spreading and the underlying reasons. Concurrently, this study extends the concept of assortativity to inter-network assortativity, with the aim of investigating its impact on opinion dissemination. The simulation carried out in three scenarios of competing ideas in two-layer networks with different inter-network assortativity. The effects of the parameter on the advantages and disadvantages agent of opinion spreading are found and the reasons are analyzed. The simulation results of this research provide referential information for humanity to understand the complex and vast system of opinion spreading in contemporary social networks. At the same time, the results hold significant implications in areas such as public opinion dissemination, rumor control, marketing and advertising, political opinion propagation, etc.