Belief-oriented segregation in policy networks

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many policy networks are characterized by belief-oriented segregation, where actors with shared belief systems are clustered together and few opportunities exist for communication across coalitions of like-minded stakeholders. This inhibits the ability of network actors to effectively learn about, and successfully manage, complex policy problems. Despite the importance of understanding why these structures emerge, the processes that generate belief polarization in networks are not well-studied. This paper derives a general agent-based model of network formation and belief change from the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), a prominent theory of the policy process that has been widely applied to the study of belief conflict in contentious policy systems. Simulation results suggest that the ACF assumption of biased information processing plays a critical role in the emergence of belief-oriented segregation in networks. This model provides a starting point for re-thinking the role of cognitive bias in social and policy learning, as well as the relationships between belief change and the evolving structure of policy networks.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)14-25
Number of pages12
JournalProcedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences
Volume22
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes
Event7th Conference on Applications of Social Network Analysis: Dynamics of Social Networks, ASNA 2010 - Zurich, Switzerland
Duration: Sep 15 2010Sep 17 2010

Keywords

  • Advocacy Coalition Framework
  • Agent-based simulation
  • Belief change
  • Network segregation
  • Policy networks
  • Social learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Social Sciences
  • General Psychology

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