Spontaneous emergence of leaders and followers in foraging pairs

Abstract

Animals that forage socially often stand to gain from coordination of their behaviour. Yet it is not known how group members reach a consensus on the timing of foraging bouts. Here we demonstrate a simple process by which this may occur. We develop a state-dependent, dynamic game model of foraging by a pair of animals, in which each individual chooses between resting or foraging during a series of consecutive periods, so as to maximize its own individual chances of survival. We find that, if there is an advantage to foraging together, the equilibrium behaviour of both individuals becomes highly synchronized. As a result of this synchronization, differences in the energetic reserves of the two players spontaneously develop, leading them to adopt different behavioural roles. The individual with lower reserves emerges as the 'pace-maker' who determines when the pair should forage, providing a straightforward resolution to the problem of group coordination. Moreover, the strategy that gives rise to this behaviour can be implemented by a simple 'rule of thumb' that requires no detailed knowledge of the state of other individuals.

Centralized sanctioning and legitimate authority promote cooperation in humans

“…Role differentiation and dominance hierarchies are organizing principles of most animal groups (43)(44)(45). In complex societies, centralized systems of control can emerge endogenously by virtue of the legitimacy that certain actors derive from their position in the social hierarchy.…”

Animal personality and state–behaviour feedbacks: a review and guide for empiricists

“…Most of this theory invokes adaptive state-dependent behaviour, explaining personality as an adaptive outcome of among-individual differences in state [11][12][13]. Building on earlier work by Rands et al [14] and Dall et al [15], recent models have focused on the joint emergence and maintenance of among-individual differences in behaviour and state, and how such differences are promoted by positive feedbacks between behaviour and state. These models (both mathematical and verbal) have generated testable predictions for a broad range of scenarios.…”

Reporting Leaders and Followers among Trajectories of Moving Point Objects

“…Rands et al [50] illustrated the spontaneous emergence of leaders and followers using a simulation model reproducing the decision process of a pair of foraging animals, balancing their energetic states. The idea and the term of leadership have been used in several different contexts in the field of animal behaviour research, see Dumont et al [12] for an overview.…”