TY - JOUR ID - 122156 TI - Effect of Segregation on Opinion Formation in Scale-Free Social Networks: An Agent-based Approach JO - International Journal of Engineering JA - IJE LA - en SN - 1025-2495 AU - Mansouri, A. AU - Taghiyareh, F. AD - ICT Research Institute, Tehran, Iran AD - Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Y1 - 2021 PY - 2021 VL - 34 IS - 1 SP - 66 EP - 74 KW - Opinion Formation Social Networks Social Impact Model Segregation Agent KW - based modeling DO - 10.5829/ije.2021.34.01a.08 N2 - We consider the effect of segregation on opinion formation in social networks with and without influential leaders in scale-free random networks, which is found in many social and natural phenomena. We have used agent-based modeling and simulation, focusing on the social impact model of opinion formation. Two simulation scenarios of this opinion formation model have been considered: (1) the original scenario which randomly assigns persuasion strengths to the agents, and (2) a centrality-based scenario, which assigns persuasion strengths proportional to the agents’ centralities. In the latter scenario, hubs are considered more influential leaders who are more connected to others and have higher persuasion strengths than others. The simulation results show a correlation between segregation and change of population opinion in the original model, but no correlation between both variables in the centrality-based scenario. The results lead us to conclude that with strong influential leaders in society, the effect of segregation in opinion formation is neglectable. UR - https://www.ije.ir/article_122156.html L1 - https://www.ije.ir/article_122156_a3fdf4347effe9c5c48b71804291834e.pdf ER -