Fig. 1: The opinion formation model. | Communications Physics

Fig. 1: The opinion formation model.

From: The fragility of opinion formation in a complex world

Fig. 1

a An observer faces a set of subjects that are interconnected by mutual relations of trust (solid green lines) or distrust (dotted red lines). Starting from a small set of seed opinions (here one positive seed opinion marked with + in a black circle) and a world of unknown subjects (gray circles), the observer gradually forms opinions on all subjects. b The formed opinion is determined as a product of the opinion on a chosen source subject (one of the seed subjects or any other subject on which an opinion has been already made) and the sign of the relation between the source subject and the target subject. A positive opinion is formed when the source opinion and the relation are both positive or both negative; a negative opinion is formed otherwise.

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