Modeling individual attention dynamics on online social media

Abstract

In the attention economy, understanding how individuals manage limited attention is critical. We introduce a simple model describing the decay of a user's engagement when facing multiple inputs. We analytically show that individual attention decay is determined by the overall duration of interactions, not their number or user activity. Our model is validated using data from Reddit's Change My View subreddit, where the user's attention dynamics is explicitly traceable. Despite its simplicity, our model offers a crucial microscopic perspective complementing macroscopic studies.

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