Home Meinungsdynamiken in fundamentalistischen Gruppen. Erklärungshypothesen auf der Basis von Simulationsmodellen
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Meinungsdynamiken in fundamentalistischen Gruppen. Erklärungshypothesen auf der Basis von Simulationsmodellen

  • Michael Baurmann , Gregor Betz and Rainer Cramm
Published/Copyright: February 11, 2016
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

Abstract

If we want to understand how fundamentalist group ideologies are established, we have to comprehend the social processes which form the basis of the emergence and distribution of such beliefs. In our paper we present an innovative approach to examining these processes and explaining how they function: with the method of computer-based simulation of opinion formation we develop heuristic explanatory models which help to generate new and interesting hypotheses. The focus is thereby not on individuals and their idiosyncrasies but on the dynamic mutual adaptation of beliefs in a group. These dynamics can produce an incremental establishment of ‘charismatic’ opinion leaders and an increasing radicalization and alienation. A prototype of such a simulation model has produced promising first results which are presented and discussed.

Published Online: 2016-02-11
Published in Print: 2014-05-01

© 2014 by Lucius & Lucius, Stuttgart

Downloaded on 6.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/auk-2014-0104/html
Scroll to top button