Coevolutionary network approach to cultural dynamics controlled by intolerance

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2011 Dec;84(6 Pt 2):067101. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.067101. Epub 2011 Dec 5.

Abstract

Starting from Axelrod's model of cultural dissemination, we introduce a rewiring probability, enabling agents to cut the links with their unfriendly neighbors if their cultural similarity is below a tolerance parameter. For low values of tolerance, rewiring promotes the convergence to a frozen monocultural state. However, intermediate tolerance values prevent rewiring once the network is fragmented, resulting in a multicultural society even for values of initial cultural diversity in which the original Axelrod model reaches globalization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biophysical Phenomena
  • Cultural Characteristics
  • Cultural Diversity*
  • Cultural Evolution
  • Humans
  • Internationality
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Social Support*