Applying Stochastic Thermodynamics to Sociophysics
The development of stochastic thermodynamics during the last decades prompted the discovery of novel nonequilibrium relations refining our understanding of the second law in small fluctuating systems and its connection with information theory. A fundamental open question is whether these tools can illuminate other areas of complex systems, such as social phenomena, where energy plays no fundamental role. In this seminar I will argue that such question can be answered in the positive. In particular, I will put an example of application of stochastic thermodynamics in the context of social systems, based on the imitation dynamics of opinions and social traits [1].
In this context, I will discuss how stochastic thermodynamics allows for the formulation of a “second law” for social systems. Similarly to Landauer’s principle, it constrains spontaneous changes in agent attributes (opinions, cultural traits, etc.) and their informational entropy. In this context, cornerstone results—fluctuation theorems, kinetic and thermodynamic uncertainty relations, and second-law-like inequalities—emerge naturally, and reveal fundamental trade-offs in opinion currents arising from the competition between herding and anti-conformity, and providing inference tools.
[1] L. Irisarri, L. Trigal, R. Toral, and G. Manzano. "Stochastic thermodynamics of social imitation beyond energetics." Nature Communications 17, 9542 (2026).
Coffee and cookies will be served 15 minutes before the start of the seminar
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