Nonequilibrium phase transition in a model for social influence

C Castellano
M Marsili
A Vespignani

Article comments

Originally published in Physical Review Letters, v.85 no.16 (2000), pp.3536-3539. DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.3536. Dr. Vespignani is affiliated with Northeastern University as of the time of deposit.

Abstract

We present extensive numerical simulations of the Axelrod's model for social influence, aimed at understanding the formation of cultural domains. This is a nonequilibrium model with short range interactions and a remarkably rich dynamical behavior. We study the phase diagram of the model and uncover a nonequilibrium phase transition separating an ordered (culturally polarized) phase from a disordered (culturally fragmented) one. The nature of the phase transition can be continuous or discontinuous depending on the model parameters. At the transition, the size of cultural regions is power-law distributed.