Human Stigmergic Problem Solving

Abstract

What is stigmergy? The French entomologist Grassé coined the term “stigmergy” in the s. The term is formed from the Greek words stigma “sign” and ergon “action,” referring to individual actions that leave signs in the environment, and determine subsequent actions by others. Stigmergy usually describes how many individual agents are able to coordinate collective action only by leaving information in a shared environment (Parunak, ). The basic principle of stigmergy is extremely simple; traces left by agents in the environment provide feedback information to new agents (Theraulaz & Bonabeau, ). When one agent leaves a trace in the environment, this trace will even stimulate or motivate others to do subsequent work. The aggregated collective work serves the purpose of being externalized information that ensures that new tasks are executed in the right order. The complete solution will gradually emerge when different individuals interact with the “evolving information” in the environment at different points of time (Rezgui & Crowston, ). Stigmergy can also be explained as a feedback loop that does not require any direct communication between the individuals because all coordination is done through the traces of information left in the medium. When information remains available, it can guide new agents at any later point of time, and there is no need to be present at the same time. Nor is mutual awareness a requirement since every individual works independently of each other. The individuals do not even need to know that other agents are participating in the work. The collective actions are materialized in the environment and function like a shared external collective memory (Heylighen, , ). For example, an ant colony will record its collective activity as traces in the physical environment, and this helps