Article
Version 1
Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Population Balance Modeling and Opinion Dynamics -- A Mutually Beneficial Liaison?
Version 1
: Received: 16 August 2018 / Approved: 17 August 2018 / Online: 17 August 2018 (12:52:27 CEST)
A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.
Kuhn, M.; Kirse, C.; Briesen, H. Population Balance Modeling and Opinion Dynamics—A Mutually Beneficial Liaison? Processes 2018, 6, 164. Kuhn, M.; Kirse, C.; Briesen, H. Population Balance Modeling and Opinion Dynamics—A Mutually Beneficial Liaison? Processes 2018, 6, 164.
Abstract
In this contribution, we aim to show that opinion dynamics and population balance modeling can benefit from an exchange of problems and methods. To support this claim, the Deffuant-Weisbuch model, a classical approach in opinion dynamics, is formulated as a population balance model. This new formulation is subsequently analyzed in terms of moment equations, and conservation of the first and second order moment is shown. Exemplary results obtained by our formulation are presented and agreement with the original model is found. Also the influence of the initial distribution is studied. Additionally, the Deffuant-Weisbuch model is transferred to engineering and interpreted as mass transfer between liquid droplets which results in a more flexible formulation compared to alternatives from the literature. On the one hand, it is concluded that the transfer of opinion-dynamics problems to the domain of population balance modeling offers some interesting insights as well as stimulating challenges for the population-balance community. On the other hand, it is inferred that population-balance methods can contribute to the solution of problems in opinion dynamics. In a broad outlook, some further possibilities of how the two fields can possibly benefit from a close interaction are outlined.
Keywords
social sciences; opinion dynamics; Deffuant-Weisbuch model; population balance model; mass transfer; interdisciplinarity
Subject
Social Sciences, Demography
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Comments (0)
We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.
Leave a public commentSend a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
