Correlated dynamics in human printing behavior

TL;DR

This study analyzes human printing request timings, revealing scale-invariant dynamics and long-range dependencies that challenge Poisson models, suggesting possible links to critical brain dynamics.

Contribution

It uncovers universal scaling laws and long-range dependencies in human printing behavior, indicating complex, non-Poissonian, critical dynamics.

Findings

Inter-arrival times follow a universal scaling law.

File sizes follow a modified power law.

Waiting times show long-range dependence.

Abstract

Arrival times of requests to print in a student laboratory were analyzed. Inter-arrival times between subsequent requests follow a universal scaling law relating time intervals and the size of the request, indicating a scale invariant dynamics with respect to the size. The cumulative distribution of file sizes is well-described by a modified power law often seen in non-equilibrium critical systems. For each user, waiting times between their individual requests show long range dependence and are broadly distributed from seconds to weeks. All results are incompatible with Poisson models, and may provide evidence of critical dynamics associated with voluntary thought processes in the brain.