We consider a simple model of agents modifying their opinion about themselves and about the others during random pair interactions. Two unexpected patterns emerge: (1) without gossips, starting from zero, agents’ opinions tend to grow and stabilize on average at a positive value; (2) when introducing gossips, this pattern is inverted; the opinions tend to decrease and stabilize on average at a negative value. We show that these patterns can be explained by the relative influence of a positive bias on self-opinions and of a negative bias on opinions about others. Without gossips, the positive bias on self-opinions dominates, leading to a positive average opinion. Gossips increase the negative bias about others, which can dominate the positive bias on self-opinions, leading to a negative average opinion.

中文翻译：

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八卦的阴暗面：来自简单意见动力学模型的提示

我们考虑一个简单的代理模型，在随机配对交互期间修改他们对自己和其他人的看法。出现了两种意想不到的模式：（1）没有八卦，从零开始，代理人的意见倾向于平均增长并稳定在正值；(2) 在介绍八卦时，这种模式是倒置的；意见趋于下降并平均稳定在负值。我们表明，这些模式可以通过积极偏见对自我观点的相对影响和消极偏见对他人观点的相对影响来解释。没有八卦，对自我意见的积极偏见占主导地位，导致积极的平均意见。八卦会增加对他人的负面偏见，这会主导对自我意见的正面偏见，从而导致负面的平均意见。