Reverse social contagion as a mechanism for regulating mass behaviors in highly integrated social systems

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2024

Abstract

Mass behavior is the rapid adoption of similar conduct by all group members, with potentially catastrophic outcomes such as mass panic. Yet, these negative consequences are rare in integrated social systems such as social insect colonies, thanks to mechanisms of social regulation. Here, we test the hypothesis that behavioral deactivation between active individuals is a powerful social regulator that reduces energetic spending in groups. Borrowing from scaling theories for human settlements and using behavioral data on harvester ants, we derive ties between the hypermetric scaling of the interaction network and the hypometric scaling of activity levels, both relative to the colony size. We use elements of economics theory and metabolic measurements collected with the behavioral data to link activity and metabolic scalings with group size. Our results support the idea that metabolic scaling across social systems is the product of different balances between their social regulation mechanisms.

Identifier

85198154433 (Scopus)

Publication Title

PNAS Nexus

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae246

e-ISSN

27526542

Issue

7

Volume

3

Grant

EF 2222418

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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