Effects of mass media and opinion exchange on extremist group formation

Steven Butler, Joanna J. Bryson

Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceedingChapter in a published conference proceeding

Abstract

Contemporary communication technologies are thought to facilitate the growth of the small autonomous terrorist groups indicative of ‘modern’ terrorism. In this study, the Animal Liberation Front provides an example of a culturally distinct organisation from which an extremist force—the Animal Rights Militia—emerges to pose the threat of violence. Agent-based modelling is used to simulate this emergence, and subsequent dynamics, under a variety of conditions. The simulation model not only implements local opinion exchange within a population, but also the polarising effect of mass media. Results show the significance of mass media, of limits on the cell size that are independent of the policing efforts, and the impact of societies with rapid population turn over, such as are found near universities.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 4th Conference of the European Social Simulation Association, ESSA 2007
EditorsFrederic Amblard
PublisherThe European Social Simulation Association (ESSA)
Pages455-465
Number of pages11
ISBN (Electronic)9782952032674
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2007
Event4th Annual Conference of the European Social Simulation Association, ESSA 2007 - Toulouse, France
Duration: 10 Sept 200714 Sept 2007

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 4th Conference of the European Social Simulation Association, ESSA 2007

Conference

Conference4th Annual Conference of the European Social Simulation Association, ESSA 2007
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityToulouse
Period10/09/0714/09/07

Keywords

  • Agent-based simulation of social phenomena
  • Cultural dynamics
  • Opinion dynamics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Modelling and Simulation

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