Competitive Balance Theory: Modeling conflict of interest in a heterogeneous network

Abstract

The dynamics of networks on Heider balance theory moves toward reducing the tension by constantly reevaluating the interactions to achieve a state of balance. Conflict of interest, however, is inherent in most complex systems; frequently, there are multiple ideals or states of balance, and moving towards one could work against another. In this paper, by introducing the competitive balance theory, we study the evolution of balance in the presence of conflicts of interest. In our model, the assumption is that different states of balance compete in the evolution process to dominate the system. We ask, whether, through these interactions, different states of balance compete to prevail their own ideals or a set of co-existing ideals in a balanced condition is a possible outcome. The results show that although there is a symmetry in the type of balance, the system either evolves towards a symmetry breaking where one of the states of balance dominates the system, or, less frequently, the competing states of balance co exist in a jammed state.

References in corpus (15)

• Dynamics of Social Balance on Networks
• Analysis of a continuous-time model of structural balance
• The energy landscape of social balance
• The Heider balance - a continuous approach
• Predicting Positive and Negative Links in Online Social Networks
• Balance in signed networks
• Solution for the properties of a clustered network
• Statistical Physics of Balance Theory
• Measuring Partial Balance in Signed Networks
• Epidemic spreading on evolving signed networks
• Mean-field solution of structural balance dynamics in nonzero temperature
• Glassy states of aging social networks
• Quartic Balance Theory: Global Minimum With Imbalanced Triangles
• Social Stability and Extended Social Balance - Quantifying the Role of Inactive Links in Social Networks
• Bounded Confidence under Preferential Flip: A Coupled Dynamics of Structural Balance and Opinions

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Heider Balance under Disordered Triadic Interactions
• Mean-Field Solution for Critical Behavior of Signed Networks in Competitive Balance Theory
• Heider and coevolutionary balance: From discrete to continuous phase transition
• The structure of gene-gene networks beyond pairwise interactions
• Hybrid balance theory: Heider balance under higher order interactions
• Modified Heider Balance on Sparse Random Networks
• Response of the competitive balance model to the external field
• Dynamics of Social Balance on Networks: The Emergence of Multipolar Societies