Dynamic Models of Segregation in Small-World Networks Giorgio Fagiolo, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa Marco Valente, University of L'Aquila Nicolaas J. Vriend, Queen Mary, University of London in: A. Naimzada, S.Stefani & A. Torriero (Eds.), Networks, Topology and Dynamics. Theory and Applications to Economics and Social Systems (Lecture Notes in Economic and Mathematical Systems 613), Springer, Berlin, 2009, p. 111-126 Full paper (PDF format) Abstract.
Schelling [19-22] considered a simple model with individual agents who
only care about the types of people living in their own local neighborhood. The
spatial structure was represented by a one- or two-dimensional lattice. Schelling
showed that an integrated society will generally unravel into a rather segregated one
even though no individual agent strictly prefers this. We make some steps to generalize
the spatial proximity model to a proximity model of segregation. That is, we
examine models with individual agents who interact "locally" in a range of network
structures with topological properties that are different from those of regular lattices.
Assuming mild preferences about with whom they interact, we study best-response
dynamics in random and regular non-directed graphs as well as in small-world and
scale-free networks. Our main result is that the system attains levels of segregation
that are in line with those reached in the lattice-based spatial proximity model. That
is, Schelling's original results seem to be robust to the structural properties of the
network. In other words, mild proximity preferences coupled with adjustment dynamics
can explain segregation not just in regular spatial networks but also in more
general social networks. Nick Vriend, n.vriend@qmul.ac.uk Last modified 2012-12-07 |