Figure 5: ASC and RPM simulations with variability in intermediate node policy. ρ ( x ) taken as in Figure 1. Top row shows proper rhetorical issue ( x$_{0}$ = 0) for ( a ) complete network and ( b ) chain network. Bottom row shows improper rhetorical issue ( x$_{0}$ = − 5) for ( c ) complete network and ( d ) chain network. Positive and negative policy sides are on positive and negative horizontal axis respectively. Polarization shift  δ = ¯ x ( t$_{f}$ ) − ¯ x (0)  plotted as a function of the initial policy disagreement  Δ = x$_{3}$ − x$_{1}$ . Shift toward the extreme corresponds to δ > 0 for positive policy side and δ < 0 for negative side. The position of the intermediate node was varied according to x$_{2}$ = ± (6 + ϵ ) for the positive and negative policy sides and where ϵ takes on 41 uniformly-spaced values over the interval [ − 1   1]. x$_{1}$ = 6 − Δ / 2 and x$_{3}$ = 6 + Δ / 2 for Δ > 0 and analogously for Δ < 0. RPM (dashed) and ASC (solid) means are over all ϵ values. Shifts for individual ϵ values shown as gray curves for ASC model. Dotted curve shows ϵ = 0 ASC baseline case where x$_{2}$ = 6 is exactly in middle. Gap in the curves is the region where x$_{2}$ would go beyond x$_{1}$ or x$_{3}$ . ASC model parameters: λ$_{1}$$_{ }$$_{2}$$_{ }$$_{3}$ (0) = 0 . 05   λ$_{min}$ = 0 . 025 . 32 -10 -5 0 5 10 policy disagreement -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 polarization shift Proper  Complete a ASC mean ASC baseline RPM mean -10 -5 0 5 10 policy disagreement -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 polarization shift Proper  Chain b -10 -5 0 5 10 policy disagreement -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 polarization shift Improper  Complete c -10 -5 0 5 10 policy disagreement -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 polarization shift Improper  Chain d