This study addresses the competitive propagation of opposing opinions and the formation of consensus in hierarchical social networks by constructing a discrete-time opinion dynamics model based on the mean-field approximation. Initially, in a strongly connected directed network,two distinct phases of opinion propagation are modeled:during the early stage,individuals who have not encountered any opinions are introduced,leading to the development of a three-state propagation dynamics model;in the later stage,as opinions become fully disseminated, the model simplifies to a two-state competitive propagation model. Theoretical analysis confirms the well-posedness of the model and,using Lyapunov stability theory and nonnegative matrix theory,derives sufficient conditions for achieving the “winner-takes-all” effect for a single opinion. Furthermore,the foundational model is expanded to include a two-layer network featuring unidirectional cross-layer influences from the decision layer to the subordinate layer. The analysis reveals that the successful attainment of the“winner-takes-all”effect for a specific opinion is jointly determined by the opinion inclination of the decision layer,the internal connection structure of the subordinate layer,and the intensity of cross-layer influence. Notably, when there is a discrepancy between the inherent opinion inclinations of the decision and subordinate layers, if the norm of the cross-layer influence matrix exceeds a critical threshold,the dominant opinion from the decision layer can completely overturn the original opinion bias of the subordinate layer,culminating in a global“winner-takes-all”scenario across the entire network. Numerical simulations substantiate the validity of the theoretical conditions and the effectiveness of the model,indicating that appropriate regulation of inter-layer influence can effectively steer public opinion in the desired direction.
DI MAREA, LATORAV. Opinion formation models based on game theory[J]. International Journal of Modern Physics C, 2007, 18(9): 1377-1395.
[4]
DINGFei, LIUYun, LIYong. Co-evolution of opinion and strategy in persuasion dynamics:An evolutionary game theoretical approach[J]. International Journal of Modern Physics C, 2009, 20(3): 479-490.
[5]
SZNAJD-WERONK, SZNAJDJ. Opinion evolution in closed community[J]. International Journal of Modern Physics C, 2000, 11(6): 1157-1165.
[6]
MONTROLLE W, BADGERW W. Introduction to quantitative aspects of social phenomena[M]. New York: Gordon and Breach, 1974.
HOLLEYR A, LIGGETTT M. Ergodic theorems for weakly interacting infinite systems and the voter model[J]. The Annals of Probability, 1975, 3(4): 643-663.
[9]
HEGSELMANNR, KRAUSEU. Opinion dynamics and bounded confidence: Models, analysis and simulation[J]. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 2002, 5(3):8130429.
[10]
DEFFUANTG, NEAUD, AMBLARDF, et al. Mixing beliefs among interacting agents[J]. Advances in Complex Systems (ACS), 2000, 3(1/2/3/4): 87-98.
[11]
DEGROOTM H. Reaching a consensus[J]. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1974, 69(345): 118-121.
[12]
YUANJiangjun, SHIJiawen, WANGJie, et al. Modelling network public opinion polarization based on SIR model considering dynamic network structure[J]. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 2022, 61(6): 4557-4571.
[13]
ZHANGMingli, QINSimeng, ZHUXiaoxia. Information diffusion under public crisis in BA scale-free network based on SEIR model: Taking COVID-19 as an example[J]. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, 2021, 571: 125848.DOI:10.1016/j.physa.2021.125848 .
WANGYaqi, YANGXiaoyuan, HANYiliang, et al. Rumor spreading model with trust mechanism in complex social networks[J]. Communications in Theoretical Physics, 2013, 59(4): 510-516.
[17]
ZHANGJ, MOURAJ M F. Diffusion in social networks as SIS epidemics: Beyond full mixing and complete graphs[J]. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing, 2014, 8(4): 537-551.
[18]
GUOWenjuan, CAIYongli, ZHANGQimin, et al. Stochastic persistence and stationary distribution in an SIS epidemic model with media coverage[J]. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, 2018, 492: 2220-2236.
[19]
LUOKaiming, GUANShuguang, ZOUYong. Reconstruction of simplex structures based on phase synchronization dynamics[J]. Acta Physica Sinica, 2024, 73(12): 120501.DOI: 10.7498/aps.73.20240334 .
[20]
CHOIJ, GOHK I. Majority-vote dynamics on multiplex networks with two layers[J].New Journal of Physics,2019,21(3): 035005.DOI:10.1088/1367-2630/ab0602 .
[21]
FANGFanshu, MAJing, LIYanli. The coevolution of the spread of a disease and competing opinions in multiplex networks[J]. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 2023, 170: 113376.DOI:10.1016/j.chaos.2023.113376 .
[22]
ZHANGZhiyi, YINXiaohu, LIUHaiyan, et al. Research on opinion spreading based on military hierarchical network[C]//Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Pattern Recognition. Jinan: SPIE, 2018.
[23]
NIANFuzhong, LUOLi, LIUXirui. Information dissemination evolution driven by hierarchical relationship[J]. IEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems, 2024, 11(2): 1967-1978.
[24]
LIP P, HUIP M. Dynamics of opinion formation in hierarchical social networks: Network structure and initial bias[J]. The European Physical Journal B, 2008, 61(3): 371-376.
[25]
ZHANGShuli, MAJingyuan, MAJingying. Propagation of incompatible opinions on social networks[C]//43rd Chinese Control Conference (CCC). Piscataway,NJ,USA:IEEE, 2024: 9064-9070. DOI: 10.23919/CCC63176. 2024.10662304 .
[26]
ARONSONE. The theory of cognitive dissonance: A current perspective[M]//Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Volume 4. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1969: 1-34.
[27]
PARÉP E, LIUJi, BECKC L, et al. Analysis, estimation, and validation of discrete-time epidemic processes[J]. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 2020, 28(1): 79-93.
[28]
WATTSD J, STROGATZS H. Collective dynamics of ‘small-world’ networks[J]. Nature, 1998, 393(6684): 440-442.
[29]
BARABÁSIA L, ALBERTR. Emergence of scaling in random networks[J]. Science, 1999, 286(5439): 509-512.