Leaders and obstacles raise cultural boundaries

We employ an agent-based model for cultural dynamics to investigate the effects of spatial heterogeneities on collective behavior a social system. introduce heterogeneity as random distribution defects or imperfections in two-dimensional lattice. Two types are considered separately: obstacles that represent geographic features, and opinion leaders, described agents exerting unidirectional influence other agents. In both cases, we characterize two phases space parameters system, given by density quantity expressing number available states: one ordered phase, consisting large homogeneous group; disordered where many small groups coexist. case state corresponds their state. find high enough contributes diversity On hand, nontrivial effect when leaders distributed system: if is greater than some threshold value, no longer efficient imposing population, but they actually promote multiculturality. this situation, uncover well obstacles, serve locations formation boundaries segregation between different groups. Moreover, lower needed induce multiculturality