Topology, noise, and parallel updates in a model of circular opinion dynamics

Abstract

We study a circular opinion dynamics model with local midpoint interactions, extended to allow parallel updates of multiple sites. On a ring, the dynamics admits twisted states associated with integer winding numbers. We investigate how bi-modal noise, which drives opinions toward two antipodal directions, affects these configurations. Numerically, we find that noise both destabilizes winding states and induces a flip--flop regime, characterized by macroscopic switching between preferred orientations. We introduce order parameters that distinguish topological trapping from symmetry breaking, providing a simple macroscopic description of the dynamics.