Dynamic Epistemic Logics of Diffusion and Prediction in Social Networks

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dynamic Epistemic Logics of Diffusion and Prediction in Social Networks

AU - Baltag, Alexandru

AU - Christoff, Zoé

AU - Rendsvig, Rasmus Kræmmer

AU - Smets, Sonja

PY - 2019/6/15

Y1 - 2019/6/15

N2 - We take a logical approach to threshold models, used to study the diffusion of opinions, new technologies, infections, or behaviors in social networks. Threshold models consist of a network graph of agents connected by a social relationship and a threshold value which regulates the diffusion process. Agents adopt a new behavior/product/opinion when the proportion of their neighbors who have already adopted it meets the threshold. Under this diffusion policy, threshold models develop dynamically towards a guaranteed fixed point. We construct a minimal dynamic propositional logic to describe the threshold dynamics and show that the logic is sound and complete. We then extend this framework with an epistemic dimension and investigate how information about more distant neighbors’ behavior allows agents to anticipate changes in behavior of their closer neighbors. Overall, our logical formalism captures the interplay between the epistemic and social dimensions in social networks.

AB - We take a logical approach to threshold models, used to study the diffusion of opinions, new technologies, infections, or behaviors in social networks. Threshold models consist of a network graph of agents connected by a social relationship and a threshold value which regulates the diffusion process. Agents adopt a new behavior/product/opinion when the proportion of their neighbors who have already adopted it meets the threshold. Under this diffusion policy, threshold models develop dynamically towards a guaranteed fixed point. We construct a minimal dynamic propositional logic to describe the threshold dynamics and show that the logic is sound and complete. We then extend this framework with an epistemic dimension and investigate how information about more distant neighbors’ behavior allows agents to anticipate changes in behavior of their closer neighbors. Overall, our logical formalism captures the interplay between the epistemic and social dimensions in social networks.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Social network theory

KW - Threshold models

KW - Diffusion in networks

KW - Social epistemology

KW - Formal epistemology

KW - Dynamic epistemic logic

KW - Opinion dynamics

KW - Opinion dynamics under uncertainty

U2 - 10.1007/s11225-018-9804-x

DO - 10.1007/s11225-018-9804-x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0039-3215

VL - 107

SP - 489

EP - 531

JO - Studia Logica: An International Journal for Symbolic Logic

JF - Studia Logica: An International Journal for Symbolic Logic

IS - 3

ER -