A Model for the Formation of Beliefs and Social Norms Based on the Satisfaction Problem (SAT)

We propose a numerical representation of beliefs in social systems based on the so-called SAT problem in computer science. The main idea is that a belief system is a set of true/false values associated with claims or propositions. Each individual assigns these values according to its cognitive syste...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bastien Chopard, Franck Raynaud, Julien Stalhandske
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Entropy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/4/358
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Summary:We propose a numerical representation of beliefs in social systems based on the so-called SAT problem in computer science. The main idea is that a belief system is a set of true/false values associated with claims or propositions. Each individual assigns these values according to its cognitive system in order to minimize logical contradictions, thus trying to solve a satisfaction problem. Social interactions between agents that disagree on a proposition can be introduced in order to see how, in the long term, social norms and competing belief systems build up in a population. Among other metrics, entropy is used to characterize the diversity of belief systems.
ISSN:1099-4300