Modified Hegselmann-Krause Model with Social Pressure in Social Networks

Abstract

Public opinions largely depend on the evolution of individual opinions in social networks. There are few existing evolution models of public opinions to distinguish opinion formation from opinion expression. The expression of individual opinions is often affected by the social environment. Meanwhile, individuals express their opinions under social pressure from other individuals. In order to enhance the power of predicting public opinions, this paper introduces individual inertia to measure the degree of individuals’ adherence to their own opinions. It also introduces social pressure to modify the individual opinions. Integrated with individual inertia, social pressure and HegselmannKrause model, a modified Hegselmann-Krause model is proposed. Simulation experiments show that the proposed individual inertia and social pressure affect the evolution of opinions in social networks. The modified Hegselmann-Krause model can promote the formation of consensus by changing the individual inertia and social pressure to a certain extent.