Does minority homophily hinder network opportunities?
Stronger together? The homophily trap in networks
This paper explores the "homophily trap" in networks, where similar individuals connecting with each other can hinder diversity and create inequality, particularly for minority groups. It shows analytically that when a minority group comprises less than 25% of a network, increased in-group connections (homophily) can reduce their overall network connections and opportunities.
For LLM-based multi-agent systems, this highlights the importance of managing agent interactions to avoid unintentional homophily traps. If agents preferentially interact with similar agents (e.g., based on training data, assigned roles, or learned behaviors), it could limit the system's overall performance and create inequalities in agent outcomes, especially for agents representing minority viewpoints or tasks. System designers should consider mechanisms to encourage diverse agent interaction and ensure all agents have access to information and resources, even when homophilic tendencies emerge.