Key parameters for modeling information diffusion in populations

Abstract

Modeling and simulation can be an important tool in helping develop techniques to better communicate safety-critical information for disaster preparation and recovery. However, these tools are only moderately useful if they do not capture both the social component (how information diffuses in a population through communication between individuals) and the cognitive component (how individuals integrate information and change behavior). The objective of this paper is to lay the groundwork for more complex simulations by providing a summarization of some of the important phenomenon identified in the attitude change literature. We describe four processes that are important to capture: (1) the drive for consistency; (2) information distortion; (3) persuasion route; and (4) implicit/explicit attitudes. We describe the experiments that illustrated these phenomenon and the factors that influence them (cognitive load, attitude relationships, and the social network). Finally, we describe a conceptual model that captures some of these processes and can be used as a starting point.