Information propagation and collective decision-making in biology

Abstract

From cells to humans, information is essential for interactions between individuals and their environment. Cells communicate through chemical and mechanical signals, changing their internal workings in response to informational stimuli. For instance, quorum sensing enables cell specialisation and leads to emergent phenomena such as biofilm formation, allowing bacterial communities to function as multicellular entities. On another scale, animals use various communication methods such as visual, auditory and sound-based cues to help groups find mates, defend territory or coordinate behaviour.

In human societies, communication is vital for identifying effective outcomes that better reflect the group's shared knowledge, values, and objectives. However, levels of participation in these processes can vary, for instance, when individuals temporarily adopt a neutral stance in the face of uncertainty. Centralised communication channels, such as social media, are often targeted by malicious groups to create and manipulate uncertain decision landscapes in their favour by disseminating false or misleading information. The spread of misinformation in social networks is now a concerning problem, threatening public health and democratic processes worldwide.

This thesis aims to understand and characterise information-spreading processes from the point-of-view of interacting particle systems. As demonstrated later, effective communication of intentions can be decisive in decision-making processes. We adopt individual-based modelling approaches to obtain insight into the emergent phenomena related to information spread in biological systems. By focusing on the information transmission process, we show that finite-size effects significantly impact the propagation speed of information waves. We also study the properties of interaction networks formed by information-exchanging interactions, uncovering unexpected discrepancies between finite-size and infinite-size limits. Finally, we direct our attention to the effects of information spread on collective decision-making processes, using theoretical and data-based approaches to highlight the role of neutral agents in forming and shifting consensus.

Date of Award	11 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Tim Rogers (Supervisor) & Kit Yates (Supervisor)