Flocc

This model (Krause, Weyhausen-Brinkmann & Bornholdt, 2019) shows public opinion on an issue on which agents can be for, against, or neutral. With each tick, agents holding non-neutral opinions converse (or debate) with another agent.

• If the second has a neutral opinion, there is a baseline 50% chance that the first will convince it of their opinion. However, the first may also repel the second, in which case the second now has the opposite opinion.
• If the two have opposite opinions, then there is a chance that the second will doubt its opinion and begin holding a neutral opinion (as if persuaded by a strong argument).
• If the two have the same opinion, there is a (pretty slim) chance that the second will doubt its opinion and begin holding a neutral opinion (as if realizing flaws in the supporting argument).

With starting parameters of 0.5 for repel and 0.1 for doubt, public opinion always reaches a 50-50 stalemate, even though initially many more agents are for versus against or neutral. By adjusting the parameters, the dynamics of public opinion can sway, from relatively uncontroversial (one view dominates), to volatile (large swings in which one is the majority opinion), to the stalemate shown below.