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Cited by 40Opinion Dynamics and Social InfluenceLanguage and cultural evolutionComplex Network Analysis Techniques

Reconciling long-term cultural diversity and short-term collective social behavior

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Valori, Luca, Picciolo, Francesco, Allansdottir, Agnes, Garlaschelli, Diego·2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1109514109PMC PMC3268284
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Abstract

An outstanding open problem is whether collective social phenomena occurring over short timescales can systematically reduce cultural heterogeneity in the long run, and whether offline and online human interactions contribute differently to the process. Theoretical models suggest that short-term collective behavior and long-term cultural diversity are mutually excluding, since they require very different levels of social influence. The latter jointly depends on two factors: the topology of the underlying social network and the overlap between individuals in multidimensional cultural space. However, while the empirical properties of social networks are intensively studied, little is known about the large-scale organization of real societies in cultural space, so that random input specifications are necessarily used in models. Here we use a large dataset to perform a high-dimensional analysis of the scientific beliefs of thousands of Europeans. We find that interopinion correlations determine a nontrivial ultrametric hierarchy of individuals in cultural space. When empirical data are used as inputs in models, ultrametricity has strong and counterintuitive effects. On short timescales, it facilitates a symmetry-breaking phase transition triggering coordinated social behavior. On long timescales, it suppresses cultural convergence by restricting it within disjoint groups. Moreover, ultrametricity implies that these results are surprisingly robust to modifications of the dynamical rules considered. Thus the empirical distribution of individuals in cultural space appears to systematically optimize the coexistence of short-term collective behavior and long-term cultural diversity, which can be realized simultaneously for the same moderate level of mutual influence in a diverse range of online and offline settings.

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  • The initial conditions of the simulations correspond to the exact starting configurations observed in the experiments (the precise opinion and confidence values of all 52 participants observed in the first experiment).

    “The initial conditions of our simulations correspond to the exact starting configurations observed in our experiments (i.e., the precise opinion and confidence values of all 52 participants observed in the first experiment) [36].”

    From Social Influence and the Collective Dynamics of Opinion Formation (2013) · cites this paper as [36]

  • The collective outcome appears poorly predictable and strongly dependent on initial conditions.

    “In agreement with previous works [15], the collective outcome appears to be poorly predictable and strongly dependent on the initial conditions [36].”

    From Social Influence and the Collective Dynamics of Opinion Formation (2013) · cites this paper as [36]

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Authors
Valori, L., Picciolo, F., Allansdottir, A., & Garlaschelli, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Siena (IT)
  • Leiden University (NL)
ORCID
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Published
2012-01-09
Volume
109
Issue
4
Pages
1068-1073
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1109514109
PMC
PMC3268284
OpenAlex
W1939603033
Cited by
40
References
59
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
FWCI
3.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence
  • Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Complex Network Analysis Techniques
Keywords
cultural diversity, collective behavior, cultural space, scientific belief, opinion dynamics, social influence, symmetry-breaking phase transition, cultural convergence, social networks, online-offline interaction, European public opinion
MeSH terms
Europe, Hierarchy, Social, Humans, Models, Theoretical, Public Opinion, Surveys and Questionnaires, Science, Social Behavior, Social Support, Time Factors, Databases, Factual, Cultural Diversity

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