Comparing Similarity and Homophily-Based Cognitive Models of Influence and Conformity
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Thomson, Robert
Lebiere, Christian
Issue Date
2024-09-14
Type
Conference presentations, papers, posters
Language
Keywords
cognitive modeling , bias , homophily , Influence , persuasion , polarization , conformity
Alternative Title
Abstract
The majority of theories and models of social influence tend to focus on the social-behavioral level and implicitly discount the potential role of cognitive explanations to ground out social phenomena in cognitive operations. The present study describes a preliminary simulation of social influence and conformity using two possible cognitive mechanisms: the first a homophily-based model that weighs belief updating based on generating a latent trust magnitude, and the second is a novel similarity-learning mechanism that weighs memory retrieval via similarity. While the homophily model was able to capture both influence and conformity effects based on degree of initial strength in the belief and crystallization of the belief, the similarity-based model always conformed. Both models exhibited initial learning and larger belief updating while settling to a relatively-stable state over time. Future implications for modeling influence via cognitive factors are discussed.
Description
Highest-reviewed paper of the conference.
Citation
Thomson, Robert, and Christian Lebiere. "Comparing Similarity and Homophily-Based Cognitive Models of Influence and Conformity." In International Conference on Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction and Behavior Representation in Modeling and Simulation, pp. 47-57. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2024.
Publisher
Springer Nature Switzerland
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
ISSN
0302-9743
1611-3349
1611-3349