Nonmonotonic consensus transitions in bounded-confidence dynamics on unbiased networks

Fuente: arXiv
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Autore principale: Molignini, Paolo
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Molignini, Paolo
author_facet Molignini, Paolo
contents We study the Hegselmann-Krause model of opinion dynamics on sparse, unbiased networks generated via Wilson's algorithm, unveiling how network connectivity and confidence bounds jointly determine collective behavior. By systematically exploring the parameter space spanned by the confidence level $ε$ and the mean degree density $μ$, we construct comprehensive phase diagrams that classify the emergent steady states into different degrees of fragmentation and consensus. We uncover a nonmonotonic re-entrant transition where increased connectivity can paradoxically suppress consensus, and show that full unanimity is unattainable at low connectivity due to structural isolation. Convergence times exhibit two distinct slowdowns: a finite-size, connectivity-dependent resonance near $ε\sim 1/N$, and a critical peak associated with the established fragmentation-to-consensus transition. While the critical confidence threshold $ε_c$ stabilizes near 0.2 for large system sizes, finite-size effects and sparse connectivity significantly alter the dynamics and phase boundaries in smaller populations. Our results offer new insights into the interplay between network topology and opinion dynamics, and highlight conditions under which increased connectivity may hinder, rather than promote, consensus.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_14276
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Nonmonotonic consensus transitions in bounded-confidence dynamics on unbiased networks
Molignini, Paolo
Physics and Society
Adaptation and Self-Organizing Systems
Chaotic Dynamics
Cellular Automata and Lattice Gases
Computational Physics
We study the Hegselmann-Krause model of opinion dynamics on sparse, unbiased networks generated via Wilson's algorithm, unveiling how network connectivity and confidence bounds jointly determine collective behavior. By systematically exploring the parameter space spanned by the confidence level $ε$ and the mean degree density $μ$, we construct comprehensive phase diagrams that classify the emergent steady states into different degrees of fragmentation and consensus. We uncover a nonmonotonic re-entrant transition where increased connectivity can paradoxically suppress consensus, and show that full unanimity is unattainable at low connectivity due to structural isolation. Convergence times exhibit two distinct slowdowns: a finite-size, connectivity-dependent resonance near $ε\sim 1/N$, and a critical peak associated with the established fragmentation-to-consensus transition. While the critical confidence threshold $ε_c$ stabilizes near 0.2 for large system sizes, finite-size effects and sparse connectivity significantly alter the dynamics and phase boundaries in smaller populations. Our results offer new insights into the interplay between network topology and opinion dynamics, and highlight conditions under which increased connectivity may hinder, rather than promote, consensus.
title Nonmonotonic consensus transitions in bounded-confidence dynamics on unbiased networks
topic Physics and Society
Adaptation and Self-Organizing Systems
Chaotic Dynamics
Cellular Automata and Lattice Gases
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.14276