Complex networks have become the main paradigm for modeling the dynamics of interacting systems. However, networks are intrinsically limited to describing pairwise interactions, whereas real-world systems are often characterized by interactions involving groups of three or more units. In this talk, I will consider social systems as a natural testing ground for higher-order network approaches (hypergraphs and simplicial complexes). I will briefly introduce models of social contagion and norm evolution on hypergraphs to show how the inclusion of higher-order mechanisms can lead to the emergence of novel phenomena such as discontinuous transitions and critical mass effects. I will then present some recent results on the role that structural features play on the emergent dynamics, and introduce a measure of hyper-coreness to characterize the centrality of nodes and inform seeding strategies. Finally, I will delve into the microscopic dynamics of empirical higher-order structures. I will study the mechanisms governing their temporal dynamics both at the node and group level, characterizing how individuals navigate groups and how groups form and dismantle. I will conclude by proposing a dynamical hypergraph model that closely reproduces the empirical observations.
Seminar series
Date
Tue, 10 Oct 2023
Time
14:00 -
15:00
Location
C6
Speaker
Dr. Iacopo Iacopini
Organisation
Network Science Institute, Northeastern University London