Swarm Intelligence

Latané’s simulations demonstrate some important features of collec-

tive adaptation, and they move us without much strain toward the idea

of swarm intelligence as a human phenomenon. Latané’s theorizing is

based on a great deal of experimental evidence, both his own and oth-

ers’, and the effects of Strength, Immediacy, and Number are ubiquitous

and easy to confirm. There is not unanimous, universal agreement

among social psychologists as to the mechanisms by which polarization

comes about, and neither is there complete agreement that Latané’sex-

act formula is correct. But there is agreement at least that a nonlinear

monotonic relationship exists between ...