Network diffusion of competing behaviors.

ABSTRACT: Research indicates that network structure affects the diffusion of a single behavior. However, in many social settings, two or more behaviors may compete for adoption, as in the case of religious competition, social movements and counter-movements, or conflicting rumors. Lessons from one-behavior diffusion cannot be easily applied because the outcome can take the form of one-behavior domination, two behaviors splitting the network, both behaviors occupying a small fraction of the network, or no diffusion. This article tests how three well-known factors of single-behavior diffusion - network transitivity, adoption threshold, and connectedness of early adopters - apply to scenarios of competitive diffusion. Results show that minor differences in initial adopter size tend to magnify, creating

SUBMITTER: Hsiao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11487607 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature