Nobody Can (And Wants To) Talk To Everyone: A Networked Bounded Confidence Model For Opinion Dynamics

The code for this project is available on my GitHub.

We propose a networked bounded confidence model in which we combine a structural network in the DeGroot sense with bounded confidence dynamics following the Hegselmann-Krause model. This aims to provide a more realistic model of opinion dynamics in larger groups where not everyone can talk to everyone but at the same time agents prefer to communicate with others of similar opinion. The new model exhibits a crossing of opinions in the opinion history despite following the general bounded confidence dynamics. Furthermore, it displays new convergence dynamics since those nodes who are connected in the structural network but separated by opinion dissimilarity in the opinion space, may reconnect due to the evolution of opinions. With our working paper we aim to give an introduction into what makes this new model so interesting and challenging at the same time and set the stage for understanding a more general model for opinion dynamics.