The Slow Spread of Environmentally Friendly Action : An agent-based model simulation of social networks

Abstract: The adoptation of environmentally friendly behaviour is rather slow, although the climate crisis is pressing. This thesis aims to understand the slow adoption of environmentally friendly behaviour, specifically focusing on vegetarianism and veganism, by employing social network analysis. By simulating interactions within an agent-based model, the study explores different mechanisms that hinder the diffusion of these behaviours. The research findings highlight the significance of the complexity of the contagion in shaping the speed and extent of the diffusion process. While minimally complex contagions are able to infect half of the network on average, vegetarianism and veganism do not spread, due to their complexity. Additionally, the initial number of vegetarians/ vegans was found to be the main driver of infection speed, besides inter-connectedness. The study also explores the possibility of a social tipping point, a critical threshold at which the diffusion process accelerates or reaches a critical mass. However, the research did not observe a tipping point in the adoption of vegetarianism and veganism. By examining the slow adoption of vegetarianism and veganism as a complex contagion, this research contributes to the comprehension of concrete network effect. The findings provide valuable insights for designing interventions and strategies to promote the widespread adoption of vegetarianism, veganism, and other environmentally friendly practices.