Impact of Social Dynamics on Group Foraging

Abstract

Cooperation is vital in both human and animal behavior, allowing individuals to achieve goals that would be difficult alone, such as hunting large, elusive prey. This cooperation has been integral to the evolution of conformity and group norms. However, it is unclear whether individuals conform primarily to acquire valuable information (informational conformity) or to blend in with the group (normative compliance), and under what conditions each form of conformity is exhibited. The degree of conformity may depend on factors like the nature of the activity, an individual’s expertise, and the reward structure. In activities such as foraging, where individuals often exhibit nearly optimal behaviors, one might expect informational conformity, as foragers likely know what is best for them. However, whether individuals conform in this way or are motivated by the desire to conform to group norms remains uncertain. This question forms the basis of our study. While patch foraging has been well studied in both wild and lab settings, most research has focused on individual foraging behavior, overlooking the role of group dynamics. In patchy environments, animals and humans typically behave in ways that align with the Marginal Value Theorem (MVT), but little attention has been given to how group foraging might influence individual behavior. Can suboptimal foragers influence others, leading to less optimal group outcomes? This study explores the social dynamics of group foraging through a novel task, examining whether collective behavior can lead individuals away from optimal foraging, indicating normative conformity. Additionally, our research aims to develop process-level models of learning and decision-making, enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying conformity in group foraging.