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Can a few fanatics influence the opinion of a large segment of a society?

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  • D. Stauffer
  • M. Sahimi

Abstract

Models that provide insight into how extreme positions regarding any social phenomenon may spread in a society or at the global scale are of great current interest. A realistic model must account for the fact that globalization, internet, and other means of mass communications have given rise to scale-free networks of interactions between people. We propose a novel model which takes into account the nature of the interactions network, and provides some key insights into this phenomenon. These include, (1) the existence of a fundamental difference between a hierarchical network whereby people are influenced by those that are higher in the hierarchy but not by those below them, and a symmetrical network where person-on-person influence works mutually, and (2) that a few “fanatics” can influence a large fraction of the population either temporarily (in the hierarchical networks) or permanently (in symmetrical networks). Even if the “fanatics” disappear, the population may still remain susceptible to the positions originally advocated by them. The model is, however, general and applicable to any phenomenon for which there is a degree of enthusiasm or susceptibility to in the population. Copyright EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag 2007

Suggested Citation

  • D. Stauffer & M. Sahimi, 2007. "Can a few fanatics influence the opinion of a large segment of a society?," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 57(2), pages 147-152, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurphb:v:57:y:2007:i:2:p:147-152
    DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2007-00106-7
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    1. Dorogovtsev, S.N. & Mendes, J.F.F., 2003. "Evolution of Networks: From Biological Nets to the Internet and WWW," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198515906.
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