Memory and self-induced shocks in an evolutionary population competing for limited resources

TL;DR

This paper investigates how memory and self-induced shocks influence the dynamics of an evolutionary population competing for limited resources, revealing that large shocks are driven by microscopic changes in extreme subgroups.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the role of memory and shocks in a multi-agent system, extending previous models with new insights into population dynamics and shock control.

Findings

Self-induced shocks are driven by extreme subgroups with p~0 and p~1.

Population transitions depend on the global resource level.

Memory influences the emergence and control of large dynamical shocks.

Abstract

We present a detailed discussion of the role played by memory, and the nature of self-induced shocks, in an evolutionary population competing for limited resources. Our study builds on a previously introduced multi-agent system [Phys. Rev. Lett 82, 3360 (1999)] which has attracted significant attention in the literature. This system exhibits self-segregation of the population based on the `gene' value p (where 0<=p<=1), transitions to `frozen' populations as a function of the global resource level, and self-induced large changes which spontaneously arise as the dynamical system evolves. We find that the large, macroscopic self-induced shocks which arise, are controlled by microscopic changes within extreme subgroups of the population (i.e. subgroups with `gene' values p~0 and p~1).