Ants Best Humans at Test of Collective Intelligence
Insects collaborate in ways that sometimes surpass human capabilities.
When people work together, they can achieve great things. However, without effective communication, they may not outperform ants, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Both longhorn ants (Paratrechina longicornis) and humans have demonstrated the ability to cooperate in moving unwieldy objects through obstacles. Scientists tested this by assigning individuals and groups of varying sizes from both species to maneuver a T-shaped object through holes proportionate to their body sizes. The study revealed that while humans relied on verbal communication and strategic planning, ants instinctively coordinated through chemical signals and physical interactions, achieving remarkable efficiency. These findings shed light on the sophisticated collaboration mechanisms in the animal kingdom and provide insights into how humans might enhance teamwork by learning from nature.
Ants face challenges with this puzzle since their pheromone-based communication doesn’t account for the geometry needed to fit the object through the doors. To ensure fair comparisons, researchers restricted human communication in some trials by requiring participants to wear masks and sunglasses while forbidding talking and gestures. Like ants, humans had to rely on collective forces to move the T-shaped object.
Ant groups outperformed individual ants, displaying “emergent” intelligence, where the group’s problem-solving exceeded individual capabilities. Conversely, human groups often struggle, especially without communication. In many cases, groups performed worse than individuals or even the ants.
Researchers suggested that humans, without discussion or debate, tend to seek quick consensus instead of fully analyzing problems. This “groupthink” led to ineffective “greedy” attempts, like directly pulling the T toward the gaps, instead of the correct solution of positioning it between spaces first. While ants excel in seamless cooperation, humans rely on communication to avoid following unproductive group instincts.
References & Related Articles:
- Science Adviser – Ants best humans at test of collective intelligence
- Boston University – Five Thousand Heads are Better than One
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