  One major function of social networks (e.g., massive online social networks)
is the dissemination of information such as scientific knowledge, news, and
rumors. Information can be propagated by the users of the network via natural
connections in written, oral or electronic form. The information passing from a
sender to a receiver intrinsically involves both of them considering their
self-perceived knowledge, reputation, and popularity, which further determine
their decisions of whether or not to forward the information and whether or not
to provide feedback. To understand such human aspects of the information
dissemination, we propose a game theoretical model of the information
forwarding and feedback mechanisms in a social network that take into account
the personalities of the sender and the receiver (including their perceived
knowledgeability, reputation, and desire for popularity) and the global
characteristics of the network.
