Opinion Dynamics with Zealots

Voter model on a network: at each step, a random agent copies a random neighbor. Zealots are committed agents who never change opinion. Even a tiny zealot fraction shifts the consensus dramatically.

N agents 80
Zealot % 10%
Zealot Bias 0.7
Opinion +1: 50% | Opinion -1: 50%
Blue=opinion +1, Red=opinion -1. Stars=zealots (unchangeable). Right: history of +1 fraction. Zealots break symmetry and can dominate consensus even at small fractions (Mobilia 2003).