IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/dyngam/v14y2024i4d10.1007_s13235-023-00543-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Influencing Opinion Networks: Optimization and Games

Author

Listed:
  • Wout Vos

    (Tilburg University)

  • Peter Borm

    (Tilburg University)

  • Herbert Hamers

    (Tilburg University
    Tilburg University)

Abstract

We consider a model of influence over a network with finite-horizon opinion dynamics. The network consists of agents that update their opinions via a trust structure as in the DeGroot dynamics. The model considers two potential external influencers that have fixed and opposite opinions. They aim to maximally impact the aggregate state of opinions at the end of the finite horizon by targeting with precision one agent in one specific time period. In the case of only one influencer, we characterize optimal targets on the basis of two features: shift and amplification. Also, conditions are provided under which a specific target is optimal: the maximum-amplification target. In the case of two influencers, we focus on the existence and characterization of pure strategy equilibria in the corresponding two-person strategic zero-sum game. Roughly speaking, if the initial opinions are not too much in favour of either influencer, the influencers’ equilibrium behaviour is also driven by the amplification of targets.

Suggested Citation

  • Wout Vos & Peter Borm & Herbert Hamers, 2024. "Influencing Opinion Networks: Optimization and Games," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 959-980, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:dyngam:v:14:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s13235-023-00543-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s13235-023-00543-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13235-023-00543-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13235-023-00543-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michel Grabisch & Fen Li, 2020. "Anti-conformism in the Threshold Model of Collective Behavior," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 444-477, June.
    2. Grabisch, Michel & Poindron, Alexis & Rusinowska, Agnieszka, 2019. "A model of anonymous influence with anti-conformist agents," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    3. Grabisch, Michel & Poindron, Alexis & Rusinowska, Agnieszka, 2019. "A model of anonymous influence with anti-conformist agents," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    4. Michel Grabisch & Antoine Mandel & Agnieszka Rusinowska & Emily Tanimura, 2018. "Strategic Influence in Social Networks," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 43(1), pages 29-50, February.
    5. Kostas Bimpikis & Asuman Ozdaglar & Ercan Yildiz, 2016. "Competitive Targeted Advertising Over Networks," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 64(3), pages 705-720, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Comola, Margherita & Rusinowska, Agnieszka & Villeval, Marie Claire, 2024. "Competing for Influence in Networks through Strategic Targeting," IZA Discussion Papers 17315, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Margherita Comola & Agnieszka Rusinowska & Marie Claire Villeval, 2024. "Competing for Influence in Networks Through Strategic Targeting [En compétition pour l'influence dans les réseaux grâce au ciblage stratégique]," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-04706311, HAL.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Buechel, Berno & Klößner, Stefan & Meng, Fanyuan & Nassar, Anis, 2023. "Misinformation due to asymmetric information sharing," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Michel Grabisch & Agnieszka Rusinowska, 2020. "A Survey on Nonstrategic Models of Opinion Dynamics," Games, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-29, December.
    3. Poindron, Alexis, 2021. "A general model of binary opinions updating," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 52-76.
    4. Rusinowska, Agnieszka & Taalaibekova, Akylai, 2019. "Opinion formation and targeting when persuaders have extreme and centrist opinions," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 9-27.
    5. Michel Grabisch & Fen Li, 2020. "Anti-conformism in the Threshold Model of Collective Behavior," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 444-477, June.
    6. Comola, Margherita & Rusinowska, Agnieszka & Villeval, Marie Claire, 2024. "Competing for Influence in Networks through Strategic Targeting," IZA Discussion Papers 17315, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Alexis Poindron, 2019. "A general model of synchronous updating with binary opinions," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-02372486, HAL.
    8. GRABISCH, Michel & RUSINOWSKA, Agnieszka & VENEL, Xavier, 2022. "Diffusion in large networks," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    9. Alexis Poindron, 2019. "A general model of synchronous updating with binary opinions," Post-Print halshs-02372486, HAL.
    10. Alexis Poindron, 2019. "A general model of synchronous updating with binary opinions," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 19024, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    11. Margherita Comola & Agnieszka Rusinowska & Marie Claire Villeval, 2024. "Competing for Influence in Networks Through Strategic Targeting [En compétition pour l'influence dans les réseaux grâce au ciblage stratégique]," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-04706311, HAL.
    12. Juli'an Chitiva & Xavier Venel, 2024. "Continuous Social Networks," Papers 2407.11710, arXiv.org.
    13. Michel Grabisch & Agnieszka Rusinowska & Xavier Venel, 2022. "Diffusion in large networks," Post-Print halshs-03688783, HAL.
    14. Sebastiano Della Lena & Luca Paolo Merlino, 2021. "Group Identity, Social Learning and Opinion Dynamics," Papers 2110.07226, arXiv.org, revised May 2022.
    15. Jingjing Zhao & Yongli Li & Yunlong Ding & Chao Liu, 2019. "The value of leading customers in a crowdfunding-based marketing pattern," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, April.
    16. Zhao, Jiuhua & Liu, Qipeng & Wang, Lin & Wang, Xiaofan, 2017. "Competitive seeds-selection in complex networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 467(C), pages 240-248.
    17. Jadbabaie, Ali & Kakhbod, Ali, 2019. "Optimal contracting in networks," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1094-1153.
    18. Venel, Xavier, 2021. "Regularity of dynamic opinion games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 305-334.
    19. Xiuxian Li & Pengwen Hou & Shuhua Zhang, 2023. "The optimal advertising strategy with differentiated targeted effect consumers," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 324(1), pages 1295-1336, May.
    20. Lipiecki, Arkadiusz & Sznajd-Weron, Katarzyna, 2022. "Polarization in the three-state q-voter model with anticonformity and bounded confidence," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 165(P1).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Opinion dynamics; Networks; Influence; Targeting; Nash equilibria;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:dyngam:v:14:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s13235-023-00543-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.