Asymmetric information and epidemic coupled dynamics regulated by heterogeneous dynamic behaviors in multilayer networks

To investigate the complex interactions among epidemic spreading, multi-information diffusion, and individual behaviors in multiplex networks, we propose a novel coupled awareness-epidemic spreading model that integrates three key components: three types of awareness driven by multi-information, i.e., proactive protective awareness, negligent protective awareness, and global information-induced awareness; two types of heterogeneous local perception rates that capture individual differences in awareness acquisition and risk perception; and a threshold-triggered iterative accumulation mechanism that models the dynamic reinforcement of protective behaviors when local epidemic risks exceed the critical threshold θ2. These mechanisms enable time-varying heterogeneous awareness propagation under global-local coupling and adaptive disease transmission regulated by heterogeneous perception and iterative behavioral accumulation. Using a microscopic Markov chain approach, we theoretically determine the epidemic threshold βc. Results indicate that global information dissemination more effectively suppresses epidemic spread than the behavioral iteration accumulation mechanism. The global information trigger threshold θ1 induces a two-stage phase transition in βc, whereas the behavioral iteration trigger threshold θ2 generates a three-stage transition, particularly pronounced at high θ1. The initial stress-response intensity α1 positively correlates with βc, suppressing the epidemic more effectively when θ1 is low. Proactive awareness significantly reduces infection risk, while negligent awareness exhibits more complex nonlinear effects due to competitive interactions. Under low public awareness, behavioral response decay plays a critical role in epidemic dynamics.