Novel information interaction rule for municipal household waste classification behavior based on an evolving scale-free network

The classification of municipal household waste is a complex, adaptive system containing multiple agents, where behavior between the agents is interactive. This study focuses on the willingness of bounded, rational individuals to sort waste within complex social networks, and the evolution of group behavior. An individual cognition-behavior model was established, based on the theory of planned behavior. In this model, the intention under-pinning individual waste classification is influenced by the behavioral attitude of the individual, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral results. A multi-agent-based simulation within a social network based on the opinion propagation dynamics and a scale-free network was developed to simulate the behavior change of the agents. The results suggest that under the principle of selective connection and the hypothesis of network growth, the clustering trend of the whole network towards several central nodes becomes increasingly apparent; this means, the degree of network node centralization becomes clear. Lowering the threshold of social information interaction improved the transmission of waste classification information and increased the proportion of urban residents who carry out waste classification. Economic profits and spiritual satisfaction were considered important driving factors that impacted decision-making on waste classification, and effectively stimulated the willingness of urban residents to implement waste sorting behavior. Notably, official organizations and institutions, that is, influencers with higher connectivity were found to have a greater influence on the decisions made by residents. These findings are useful as a theoretical reference to inform the development of waste management policies.