Contagion of Habitual Behaviour in Social Networks: An Agent-Based Model

This paper introduces a computational model for contagion and change of habitual behaviour in a social network. It considers both the level of individual mechanisms of habit formation, involving a person's attitudes, goals, intentions and relevant environmental cues, and the level of social mechanisms for the impact of others in a social network. Simulation experiments with the model for small-world networks show that the model exhibits realistic behaviour. The model can be used as an aid for physicians and policymakers addressing lifestyle formation and spread in a population under considered policies.

I. Introduction

Theories and models for social contagion or diffusion show a long history, going back to the spread of diseases, rumours, ideas, innovations and emotions; e.g., [12], [40], [32], [5]. First, population-based approaches dominated (e.g., [4], [12], [40]), but individual based models in social networks have increasingly been contributed (e.g., [7], [19], [23], [35]). Recently also contagion of habitual behaviour has become a focus of interest, in particular, in the context of propagating a healthy lifestyle; e.g. [6], [10], [11], [15], [27]. In the current paper this type of contagion is addressed computationally.