55 research outputs found
Evolutionary dynamics of group formation
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Group formation is a quite ubiquitous phenomenon across different animal species, whose individuals cluster together forming communities of diverse size. Previous investigations suggest that, in general, this phenomenon might have similar underlying reasons across the interested species, despite genetic and behavioral differences. For instance improving the individual safety (e.g. from predators), and increasing the probability to get food resources. Remarkably, the group size might strongly vary from species to species, e.g. shoals of fishes and herds of lions, and sometimes even within the same species, e.g. tribes and families in human societies. Here we build on previous theories stating that the dynamics of group formation may have evolutionary roots, and we explore this fascinating hypothesis from a purely theoretical perspective, with a model using the framework of Evolutionary Game Theory. In our model we hypothesize that homogeneity constitutes a fundamental ingredient in these dynamics. Accordingly, we study a population that tries to form homogeneous groups, i.e. composed of similar agents. The formation of a group can be interpreted as a strategy. Notably, agents can form a group (receiving a âgroup payoffâ), or can act individually (receiving an âindividual payoffâ). The phase diagram of the modeled population shows a sharp transition between the âgroup phaseâ and the âindividual phaseâ, characterized by a critical âindividual payoffâ. Our results then support the hypothesis that the phenomenon of group formation has evolutionary roots.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio
Revelatory moments in fieldwork
This essay prefaces a collection on revelatory moments of fieldwork engagement. Drawing upon brief vignettes from our own research experiences, we argue for the methodological significance of memorable events encountered in ethnographic studies. In addressing this relational production of knowledge, we are particularly interested in the role of emotion, discomfort and surprise in 'fieldwork' as understood in anthropology. The case materials illustrate moments of experience drawn from three studies conducted in different decades between 1980 and 2011, thereby marking important shifts in the methods and aims of the discipline, conceptions of where fieldwork is appropriately done, and the role of self-knowledge on the part of the researcher. We make the case for the value of revelatory moments and the epistemological approach that enables their apprehension
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