Anticipating others' future behaviours alters collective movement and enhances survival

Minasandra, P.

doi:10.1101/2025.08.14.670290

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.08.14.670290

Anticipating others' future behaviours alters collective movement and enhances survival

Minasandra, P.

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Abstract

Current models of collective animal movement explain several emergent phenomena. However, these models do not account for animals potential ability to forecast each others decision-making processes. The ability to predict and account for the behaviours of others is likely unique to animals, and the relevance of this ability in collective movement merits exploration. I granted anticipatory abilities to Hamiltons selfish herd, a classic model of collective behaviour, using 14000 simulated populations and explored the consequences of this ability on collective movement patterns. I also simulated competitions between agents with and without anticipatory abilities, and showed that anticipation may confer a survival advantage.

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Minasandra, P.. 2025-08-19. Anticipating others' future behaviours alters collective movement and enhances survival. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.14.670290

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