An opinion diffusion model with clustered early adopters

We propose an opinion dynamic model which studies the adoption process of new opinions or ideas by agents. The proposed model allows the observation range of an agent to be expanded in square lattices. The agent’s opinion update process is not only influenced by a neighbor’s choice but also by the whole environment that can be observed. The model shows a different result with the normal CODA model: if adopters’ initial opinions equal 0.6 and individual observation probability α equals 0.65, then diffusions with clustered early adopters are 3% faster than those with randomly scattered ones. Introducing the bounded confidence concept into our model leads to appearance of freezing effect in opinion dynamics.