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Optimal Opinion Control: The Campaign Problem

URN to cite this document: urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-1779-5

Title data

Hegselmann, Rainer ; König, Stefan ; Kurz, Sascha ; Niemann, Christoph ; Rambau, Jörg:
Optimal Opinion Control: The Campaign Problem.
Universität Bayreuth
Bayreuth , 2014 . - 40 S.

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Abstract

We propose discrete-time models for the optimal control of continuous opinions of a finite number of individuals. Given a model of the dynamics of opinions, one individual can freely choose its advertised opinion in each stage, thereby gaining a controlled influence on the dynamics. Special attention is devoted to the bounded-confidence model, for which we point out some numerical instabilities, which is important for assessing the outcomes of simulations. We show that even in a small example system with eleven individuals and ten stages it is highly non-trivial to learn something rigorous about optimal controls. By means of mixed-integer linear programming we can characterize globally optimal controls. In the example case, we can use this to prove the optimality of some controls generated by a tailor-made heuristics. Investigations about the control population utilizing a genetic algorithm show strong evidence that optimal controls can be extremely hard to find among all controls. Controls generated by the popular generic feedback-principle of model predictive control can be significantly far from optimum, which underlines that more research is necessary to understand the structural properties of optimal controls.

Further data

Item Type: Preprint, postprint
Keywords: Hegselmann-Krause model; opinion dynamics; optimal control; campaign problem; optimization
DDC Subjects: 000 Computer Science, information, general works > 004 Computer science
100 Philosophy and psychology > 100 Philosophy
500 Science > 510 Mathematics
Institutions of the University: Faculties
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Department of Mathematics
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Department of Mathematics > Chair Mathematical Economics
Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Department of Mathematics > Chair Mathematical Economics > Chair Mathematical Economics - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jörg Rambau
Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics
Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Business Administration
Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Business Administration > Chair Business Administration VII - Information Systems Management and Digital Society
Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies
Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies > Department of Philosophy > Professor Philosophy I
Research Institutions
Research Institutions > Central research institutes
Research Institutions > Central research institutes > Bayreuth Research Center for Modeling and Simulation - MODUS
Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies > Department of Philosophy
Language: English
Originates at UBT: Yes
URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-1779-5
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2014 11:52
Last Modified: 06 Mar 2015 08:33
URI: https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/1779

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