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Conformity in numbers-Does criticality in social responses exist?
Piotr Nyczka1, Katarzyna Byrka2, Paul R Nail3
1Department of Life Sciences & Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremem, Bremem, Germany.
Plos One
|December 28, 2018
Summary
A critical threshold for conformity significantly impacts group influence dynamics, triggering major shifts in member behavior. The threshold for anticonformity, however, shows minimal effect on these social response patterns.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Computational Social Science
- Agent-Based Modeling
Background:
- The Willis-Nail model provides a framework for understanding social responses like conformity and anticonformity.
- Previous models often simplify the complex interplay of individual responses within a group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a generalized threshold q-voter model incorporating conformity, anticonformity, independence, and uniformity.
- To determine the critical influence of conformity and anticonformity thresholds on group behavior.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a generalized threshold q-voter model based on the Willis-Nail model.
- Analyzing social influence dynamics on a complete graph.
- Introducing independent thresholds for conformity (r) and anticonformity (w).
Main Results:
- A critical threshold for conformity was identified, above which system behavior resembles unanimity.
- Conformity threshold significantly influences phase transitions (continuous and discontinuous).
- The anticonformity threshold demonstrated negligible impact on the model's outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Conformity thresholds are crucial drivers of social influence and phase transitions in groups.
- Agent-based modeling can effectively simulate complex social psychological phenomena.
- Findings offer insights into the mechanisms of majority influence and opinion dynamics.
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