Multiagent Context-Dependent Model of Opinion Dynamics in a Virtual Society

Abstract

To describe the diversity of opinions and dynamics of their changes in a society, there exist different approaches—from macroscopic laws of political processes to individual-based cognition and perception models. In this paper, we propose mesoscopic individual-based model of opinion dynamics which tackles the role of context by considering influence of different sources of information during life cycle of agents. The model combines several sub-models such as model of generation and broadcasting of messages by mass media, model of daily activity, contact model based on multiplex network and model of information processing. To show the applicability of the approach, we present two scenarios illustrating the effect of the conflicting strategies of informational influence on a population and polarization of opinions about topical subject.