Figure 5.
Evolution of attitudes from three different initial configurations on a 65×65 lattice with uniform influence and amplification probability pa= 0.1. The top row has an attitude spectrum with L = 5, while the other two rows have L = 2. These sequences illustrate that when one kind of opinion (here, black) is surrounded by another (here, white), the inside opinion eventually disappears, regardless of the initial black:white opinion ratio. While the ultimate outcome is known, the rate at which consensus is reached depends on the initial size of the clusters (compare rows 2 and 3), and on the size of the attitude spectrum (compare rows 1 and 2). With a larger attitude spectrum (row 1), the clusters have higher surface tension. While this tension slows down the rate at which the clusters disappear, it also makes the emergence of isthmus structures (see the 2nd panel in row 2) less likely. The initial black:white opinion ratio is approximately 1.3:1 (significantly more black than white). Snapshots are taken at times 0, 200, 400, and 800.