STIGMERGY (Selective)
Charles François (2004). STIGMERGY (Selective), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3199.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3199 ▶ |
| Object type | Human sciences, Methodology or model |
The progressively limited selection among environmental clues tending to the most efficient behavior .
An example is the finding of food by ants. When different paths are possible “the first ants to arrive at a fork choose their way at random . They leave pheromone trails behind them and newly arriving ants will choose the most ”pungent“ path, which tends to be the shortest. Longer paths disappear as the pheromone evaporates” (M. WARD, 1998, p.34)
This reinforcement based on selection through positive feedback is obviously a very general process that better explains the origins of stigmergy itself. It can be observed in many social situations in animal and human societies.