Events in MathSys and Complexity Science
This is a calendar page detailing events within the MathSys CDT. It also acts as a booking diary for the Seminar Room D1.07. To book D1.07 please email Sheetal.Sharma@warwick.ac.uk
Please note that your event booking is for D1.07 only. The adjacent common room is a private area for the MathSys Centre that cannot used as part of your booking.
MathSys CDT events have priority for D1.07 room bookings.
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Complexity Forum: Federico Vázquez (IFLYSIB, La Plata)
Location: D1.07 Complexity Science
Opinion dynamics: damped oscillations, consensus and polarization
The changes of political trends are very common nowadays. Understanding the dynamics of voting intension of citizens is essential in anticipating the outcome of elections. Are there patterns of behavior of voters at the collective level, or is the behavior completely random and unpredictable?
Starting from a simple model of opinion formation in which each voter can choose between two possible options, we introduce a factor of confidence in each individual that evolves with the interactions. This heterogeneity among voters and their interactions leads to a variety of collective behaviors, such as fast convergence to consensus and oscillations in the percentage of each opinion. We also explore the competition between two different mechanisms that can shape public opinion: persuasive arguments and social pressure. Depending on the relative strength of these mechanisms at play, the population can reach either a centralized state or a polarized state where most individuals have extreme opinions.