Mixed Opinion Dynamics on the Unit Sphere for Multi-Agent Systems in Social Networks

In this paper, we study a multi-agent system with heterogeneous opinion dynamics, where the opinions of individuals evolve on the unit sphere according to different dynamics. We name the proposed system mixed opinion dynamics, as it comprises more than one type of opinion dynamics. We demonstrate that such a mixed system exhibits novel equilibrium behaviors that cannot be attained by a homogeneous opinion dynamic system, through theoretical analysis and simulation experiments. This work provides new insights into understanding emergent social behaviors in the real world and offers potential developments in modeling opinions’ formations.