Influence and Similarity in Social Networks: A Study of the Opinion Dynamics Among Teenagers Through an Agent-Based Model

The main goal of this research was focused on study the dynamics of the opinion among teenagers by reconstructing the process of influence that take place during their interactions, raising further questions about the ways and reasons why individuals get in touch with others. The integration between Agent-Based Modelling and sociometry allowed the conceptualization of the phenomenon as a diffusion study, considered as the outcome of the imitative process triggered by any compliance motives especially in view of the sociological tradition. In particular, the concepts of personal influence and homophily can be traced back to a dual mechanism able of explaining it: (1) the behaviour of peers occupying a relevant position within relational groups (school classes); (2) the interaction favoured by specific elements linked to the similarity between individuals. The empirical data obtained from a web survey will compared with the data from the simulation model in order to reproduce the above social phenomenon and to confirm the theoretical assumptions behind the model itself.