Isakov, AlexanderHolcomb, AmeliaGlowacki, LukeChristakis, Nicholas A.2016-03-012016Isakov, Alexander, Amelia Holcomb, Luke Glowacki, and Nicholas A. Christakis. 2016. “Modeling the Role of Networks and Individual Differences in Inter-Group Violence.” PLoS ONE 11 (2): e0148314. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148314.1932-6203http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:25658522There is significant heterogeneity within and between populations in their propensity to engage in conflict. Most research has neglected the role of within-group effects in social networks in contributing to between-group violence and focused instead on the precursors and consequences of violence, or on the role of between-group ties. Here, we explore the role of individual variation and of network structure within a population in promoting and inhibiting group violence towards other populations. Motivated by ethnographic observations of collective behavior in a small-scale society, we describe a model with differentiated roles for individuals embedded within friendship networks. Using a simple model based on voting-like dynamics, we explore several strategies for influencing group-level behavior. When we consider changing population level attitude changes and introducing control nodes separately, we find that a particularly effective control strategy relies on exploiting network degree. We also suggest refinements to our model such as tracking fine-grained information spread dynamics that can lead to further enrichment in using evolutionary game theory models for sociological phenomena.en-USComputer and Information SciencesNetwork AnalysisSocial NetworksSocial SciencesSociologyBiology and Life SciencesNeuroscienceCognitive ScienceCognitive PsychologyLearningHuman LearningPsychologyLearning and MemorySocial PsychologyPopulation BiologyPopulation DynamicsPhysical SciencesMathematicsGeometryRadiiData VisualizationInfographicsGraphsSocial ResearchJournal Article2016-03-0110.1371/journal.pone.0148314