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Diplomatic Relations in a Virtual World

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2021

Aaron Bramson Open the ORCID record for Aaron Bramson [Opens in a new window] ,
Kevin Hoefman ,
Koen Schoors  and
Jan Ryckebusch
Aaron Bramson*
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan Department of General Economics, Ghent University, Tweekerkenstraat 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Kevin Hoefman
Affiliation:
Department of General Economics, Ghent University, Tweekerkenstraat 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium Howest University College West Flanders, Marksesteenweg 58, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
Koen Schoors
Affiliation:
Department of General Economics, Ghent University, Tweekerkenstraat 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Jan Ryckebusch
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Proeftuinstraat 86, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
*
Corresponding author Aaron Bramson
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Abstract

We apply variations and extensions of structural balance theory to analyze the dynamics of geopolitical relations using data from the virtual world Eve Online. The highly detailed data enable us to study the interplay of alliance size, power, and geographic proximity on the prevalence and conditional behavior of triads built from empirical political alliances. Through our analysis, we reveal the degree to which the behaviors of players conform to the predictions of structural balance theory and whether our augmentations of the theory improve these predictions. In addition to studying the time series of the proportions of triad types, we investigate the conditional changes in triad types and the formation of polarized political coalitions. We find that player behavior largely conforms to the predictions of a multipolar version of structural balance theory that separates strong and weak configurations of balanced and frustrated triads. The high degree of explanatory power of structural balance theory in this context provides strong support for both the theory and the use of virtual worlds in social science research.

Keywords

diplomatic relationsbalance theorycoalition formationvirtual worlds
Type
Article
Information
Political Analysis , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , April 2022 , pp. 214 - 235
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Society for Political Methodology

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Footnotes

Edited by Jeff Gill

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