Competing Opinions and Stubbornness: Connecting Models to Data

17 Pages Posted: 12 Dec 2014 Last revised: 23 Feb 2016

See all articles by Keith Burghardt

Keith Burghardt

University of Maryland

William Rand

North Carolina State University

Michelle Girvan

University of Maryland, College Park - Institute for Physical Science and Technology

Date Written: February 3, 2016

Abstract

We introduce a general contagion-like model for competing opinions that includes dynamic resistance to alternative opinions. We show that this model can describe candidate vote distributions, spatial vote correlations, and a slow approach to opinion consensus with sensible parameter values. These empirical properties of large group dynamics, previously understood using distinct models, may be different aspects of human behavior that can be captured by a more unified model, such as the one introduced in this paper.

Keywords: Competing Contagions, Opinion Dynamics

Suggested Citation

Burghardt, Keith and Rand, William and Girvan, Michelle, Competing Opinions and Stubbornness: Connecting Models to Data (February 3, 2016). Robert H. Smith School Research Paper No. RHS 2536235, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2536235 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2536235

Keith Burghardt (Contact Author)

University of Maryland ( email )

College Park
College Park, MD 20742
United States

William Rand

North Carolina State University ( email )

Raleigh, NC 27695
United States

Michelle Girvan

University of Maryland, College Park - Institute for Physical Science and Technology ( email )

College Park, MD 20742
United States
301.405.1610 (Phone)

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