How synchronized human networks escape local minima

TL;DR

This paper investigates how human networks use unique dynamic strategies like changing coupling strength and tempo to escape local minima, resulting in more robust and resilient collective behavior compared to other networks.

Contribution

It reveals novel human-specific mechanisms in network dynamics, such as high-order vortex states and oscillation death, that enhance robustness against perturbations.

Findings

Humans can alter coupling strength and tempo to avoid local minima.

Human networks exhibit high-order vortex states and oscillation death.

These dynamics improve resilience and robustness of human networks.

Abstract

Finding the global minimum in complex networks while avoiding local minima is challenging in many types of networks. We study the dynamics of complex human networks and observed that humans have different methods to avoid local minima than other networks. Humans can change the coupling strength between them or change their tempo. This leads to different dynamics than other networks and makes human networks more robust and better resilient against perturbations. We observed high-order vortex states, oscillation death, and amplitude death, due to the unique dynamics of the network. This research may have implications in politics, economics, pandemic control, decision-making, and predicting the dynamics of networks with artificial intelligence.