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Strategic advantages of micro-targeted campaigns: Implementing savvy persuaders in a Bayesian Agent-Based Model

Madsen, JK; Pilditch, TD; (2017) Strategic advantages of micro-targeted campaigns: Implementing savvy persuaders in a Bayesian Agent-Based Model. In: Gunzelmann, G and Howes, A and Tenbrink, T and Davelaar, E, (eds.) Proceedings of the 39th Annual Meetng of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2017). (pp. pp. 2651-2656). Cognitive Science Society Green open access

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Abstract

Predicting the effect of persuasion campaigns is difficult, as belief changes may cascade through a network. In recent years, political campaigns have adopted micro-targeting strategies that segment voters into fine-grained clusters and target those cluster more specifically. At present, there is little evidence that explores the efficiency of this method. Through an Agent-Based Model, the current paper provides a novel method for exploring predicted effects of strategic persuasion campaigns. The voters in the model are rational and revise their beliefs in the propositions expounded by the politicians in accordance with Bayesian belief updating through a source credibility model. The model provides a proof of concept and shows strategic advantages of micro-targeted campaigning. Despite having only little voter data allowing crude segmentation, the micro-targeted campaign consistently beat stochastic campaigns with the same reach. However, given substantially greater reach, a positively perceived stochastic candidate can nullify or beat a strategic persuasion campaigns.

Type: Proceedings paper
Title: Strategic advantages of micro-targeted campaigns: Implementing savvy persuaders in a Bayesian Agent-Based Model
Event: CogSci 2017: 39th Annual Meetng of the Cognitive Science Society, 26-29 July 2017, London, UK
Location: London, UK
Dates: 26 July 2017 - 29 July 2017
ISBN-13: 9780991196760
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Publisher version: https://mindmodeling.org/cogsci2017/papers/0502/in...
Language: English
Additional information: This is the published version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Agent-Based Model; Persuasion; Strategic campaigns; Politics; Voting simulation
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1570315
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