Collegial decision making based on social amplification leads to optimal group formation.
Group-living animals are often faced with choosing between one or more alternative resource sites. A central question in such collective decision making includes determining which individuals induce the decision and when. This experimental and theoretical study of shelter selection by cockroach groups demonstrates that choices can emerge through nonlinear interaction dynamics between equal individuals without perfect knowledge or leadership. We identify a simple mechanism whereby a decision is taken on the move with limited information and signaling and without comparison of available opportunities. This mechanism leads to optimal mean benefit for group individuals. Our model points to a generic self-organized collective decision-making process independent of animal species.
Amé
Jean-Marc
JM
Service d'Ecologie Sociale CP231, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F. D. Roosevelt 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Halloy
José
J
Rivault
Colette
C
Detrain
Claire
C
Deneubourg
Jean Louis
JL
D000818:Animals; D020048:Blattellidae / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D007857:Leadership; D012919:Social Behavior