System size stochastic resonance in a model for opinion formation

We study a model for opinion formation which incorporates three basic ingredients for the evolution of the opinion held by an individual: imitation, influence of fashion and randomness. We show that in the absence of fashion, the model behaves as a bistable system with random jumps between the two stable states with a distribution of times following Kramer's law. We also demonstrate the existence of system size stochastic resonance, by which there is an optimal value for the number of individuals N for which the average opinion follows better the fashion.