title: Nonequilibrium phase transition in a model for social influence
abstract: We present extensive numerical simulations of the Axelrod's model for social influence, aimed at understanding the formation of cultural domains. This is a nonequilibrium model with short range interactions and a remarkably rich dynamical behavior. We study the phase diagram of the model and uncover a nonequilibrium phase transition separating an ordered (culturally polarized) phase from a disordered (culturally fragmented) one. The nature of the phase transition can be continuous or discontinuous depending on the model parameters. At the transition, the size of cultural regions is power-law distributed.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Universitat GH Essen, D-45117 Essen, Germany.
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marsili
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vespignani