Group dynamics in the coevolution of states and networks.
Abstract Book of the XXIII IUPAP International Conference on Statistical Physics, Genova, Italy, (9-13 July 2007)Abstract
We study the coevolution of network structure and node states in an opinion
dynamics model for the formation of communities in a population of individuals.
In a single interaction a pair of connected nodes is chosen at random. If
their states are similar enough they interact, becoming even more similar; but
if they are totally different, one of the individuals detaches its link from
its neighbor and attaches it to a randomly chosen node.
The dynamics drives the system towards either an absorbing configuration
composed by disconnected clusters whose agents share the same opinion or a
stationary active state with a fraction of links continuously being rewired.
Within the absorbing phase, we found an anomalous order-disorder phase
transition that seems to disappear in the thermodynamic limit.
We observe that the nature of this transition is closely related to the
crossover between the time scales that control the structure and the state
dynamics of the system.