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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
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The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm
Published on: October 20, 2022
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Social structure as a form of collective intelligence: a new framework
Jake S Brooker1,2, Edwin J C van Leeuwen2,3, Zanna Clay1
1Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
Summary
Social structure, the pattern of relationships within a group, is a key driver of collective intelligence. It shapes how information is shared, influencing group problem-solving and decision-making across species.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Social Neuroscience
- Ethology
Background:
- Collective intelligence emerges when group cognition surpasses individual capabilities.
- Sociality is fundamental to collective behavior, but social structure's role is underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose social structure as a core mechanism enabling and sustaining collective intelligence.
- To integrate individual cognition and group behavior through a unified framework.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical framework development.
- Review of empirical evidence from social animals.
- Analysis of network properties (connectivity, stability, cohesion).
Main Results:
- Social structure emerges from individual cognition and, in turn, shapes group information processing.
- Network variations in social animals influence problem-solving at individual and collective levels.
Conclusions:
- Social structure is central to collective cognition, linking individual decision-making to emergent group behavior.
- This perspective advances understanding of distributed cognition and intelligence across taxa.
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