Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Generation of Aggregates of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells that Show Symmetry Breaking, Polarization and Emergent Collective Behaviour In Vitro
Published on: November 24, 2015
Spontaneous symmetry breaking in ride-sharing adoption dynamics
Henrik Wolf1, David-Maximilian Storch1, Marc Timme1
1Chair for Network Dynamics, Institute for Theoretical Physics and Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany.
Abstract:
Symmetry breaking ubiquitously occurs across complex systems, from phase transition in statistical physics to self-organized lane formation in pedestrian dynamics. Here, we uncover spontaneous symmetry breaking in a simple model of ride-sharing adoption. We analyze how collective interactions among ride-sharing users to avoid detours in shared rides give rise to spontaneous symmetry breaking and pattern formation in the adoption dynamics. These dynamics result in bistability of high homogeneous and partial heterogeneous adoption states, potentially limiting the population-wide adoption of ride sharing. Our results provide a framework to understand real-world adoption patterns of ride sharing in complex urban settings and support the (re)design of ride-sharing services and incentives for sustainable shared mobility.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Influencing Attraction IV: Reciprocity
Relationship Formation
Social Traps
Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations
Factors Influencing Attraction III: Similarity
Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect

