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The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior

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Thermodynamic framework for modeling social adoption in multi-agent systems.

Guilherme S Y Giardini¹, Carlo R daCunha¹

¹Northern Arizona University, Sanghi College of Engineering (SCE), Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA and School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems (SICCS), Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA.

Physical Review. E

|February 20, 2026

Summary

We introduce a thermodynamic framework to model innovation adoption and abandonment. This approach uses statistical mechanics to explain complex dynamics in sociotechnical systems, revealing hybrid thermodynamic-statistical signatures.

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Area of Science:

Thermodynamics
Statistical Mechanics
Sociotechnical Systems Analysis

Background:

Innovation adoption and abandonment exhibit complex dynamics.
Existing models may not fully capture emergent behaviors in sociotechnical systems.
A unified framework is needed to understand these dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a thermodynamic framework for modeling innovation adoption and abandonment.
To utilize statistical mechanics for analyzing these dynamics.
To capture emergent behaviors in sociotechnical systems.

Main Methods:

Developed a thermodynamic framework based on statistical mechanics.
Constructed a canonical ensemble from an empirical adoption distribution model.
Defined an effective potential and derived a dynamical Lagrangian formulation.
Analyzed emergent behaviors using field theory.

Main Results:

The framework yields Gompertz-like and Maxwell-Boltzmann-like equilibrium distributions.
The derived field theory captures key features of innovation dynamics (suppression, peak, decline).
Effective temperature, entropy, and equilibrium points were interpreted.

Conclusions:

The thermodynamic framework successfully models innovation adoption and abandonment dynamics.
Sociotechnical systems exhibit hybrid thermodynamic-statistical signatures.
This approach offers new insights into emergent behaviors in complex systems.