A Noisy Opinion Formation Model with Two Opposing Mass Media

Abstract

Processes of individual attitude formation and their macroscopic consequences have become an intriguing research topic, and agent-based models of opinion formation have been proposed to understand this phenomenon. This study conducted an agent-based simulation and examined the role of mass media in a noisy opinion formation process, where opinion heterogeneity is preserved by a weak intensity of assimilation and errors accompanying opinion modifications. In a computational model, agents conformed to their neighbours' opinions in social networks. In addition, each agent tended to be influenced by one of a two external agents with fixed opinions, that is, mass media that take opposite positions on an opinion spectrum. The simulation results demonstrated that a small probability of interactions with mass media reduces opinion heterogeneity even with extreme mass media position values. However, a large frequency of interactions with mass media increases opinion heterogeneity. Accordingly, intermediate assimilation strength achieves the least heterogeneous opinion distribution. The influence of mass media dampens the effects of network topology. Our simulation implies that mass media can play qualitatively different roles depending on their positions and intensity of influence.