Opinion formation

One of the examples, the so-called cathode effect in A1 electrolysis, has been reported in 1966 [28]. This typical blockade phenomenon occurs at A1 cathode at very high current densities of about tens A cm . This effect shows itself in sharp increase of ohmic resistance at the cathode followed by arc or glow discharge. The early explanation suggested the formation of a layer of gaseous sodium. In our opinion, formation of dielectric solid film accounts better for this phenomenon. 

Opinion Formation - an Elementary Example of Semi-Quantitative Sociology... 

In this chapter the type of model structure to be developed will be illustrated using an explicit example. The model of opinion formation presented here and first introduced to quantitative sociology by one of the authors [1.36, 37], is an appropriate example for the following reasons ... 

The problem will be further simplified by assuming a homogeneous population whose members have the same individual behaviour probabilities of reactions and interactions in the opinion formation process. The socio-configuration ni, n at a given time t then consists of the numbers ni and 2 of people having opinion 1 and 2, respectively. If the total number of members of the population, say IN, is constant the socio-configuration is dependent on only one relevant variable, the integer n, thus ... 

The quantities governing the dynamics of opinion formation and containing the essence of the political behaviour of the population are the individual transition probabilities per unit time period ... 

The first alternative is the more direct but perhaps also the more difficult method The process of political opinion formation is a complex one and it is difficult to extract the dependence of opinion changes on the existing opinion distribution under realistic conditions in an experimentally accessible form. The second alternative will therefore be used here. 

The transition probabilities to be developed for the individual members of a society in a collective opinion formation process should at least make some use of the following general psychologically and pohtically orientated observations ... 

Some semi-quantitative conclusions about political opinion formation in societies [1.36, 47] can now be made. 

A constructive specification of these transition probabilities which is fairly general and which has already been shown to be sufficiently flexible in the opinion formation model of Chap. 2, reads... 

This equation corresponds to the mean value equation (2.37 c) of the opinion formation model in Chap. 2 except for the dependence of My on further gross variables. 

So far, the discussion of the equation of motion (6.28) and of the potentials formally corresponds with that of the equations (2.48) and (2.124) for the opinion formation model in Sect. 2.4. In the presently discussed model, however, Pj is a collective variable of a complex socio-configuration and, more important, the trend parameters <5y, JCy depend on further dynamic grossvariables. Hence the shape of the potentials (6.29) will vary during the motion of all grossvariables. The equations (6.28) then describe the motion of Pj in terms of time dependent potentials, whose shape is determined by the other equations of motion not yet discussed. Thus the form of the dependence of the trend parameters (5y, Kj on the other grossvariables should now be considered. 

In the introductory chapter the unifying concepts applicable to natural and social sciences are described qualitatively. Chapter 2 treats a simple example of quantitative sociology, the opinion formation model - the mathematical tools needed are presented in a self-contained manner. Chapter 3 contains some general concepts of quantitative sociology whereby a generalization of those introduced in Chapter 2 is achieved. 

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