Cultural swarms: knowledge-driven problem solving in social systems

In this paper we investigate how diverse knowledge sources interact to direct individuals in a swarm population. We identify three basic phases of problem solving that are generated by the swarm population in the solution of real valued function optimization problems. The question that we are interested in answering is how these phases derive from the interaction of various sources of cultural knowledge in the belief space of a population. We map the central tendency of a subset of individuals that are influenced by each knowledge source over time at the meta-level. The resultant patterns suggest the presence of "cultural swarms" where various knowledge sources take turns at leading and following in the exploration and exploitation of the problem space. This suggests that the social interaction of individuals coupled with their interaction with a culture within which they are embedded provides a powerful vehicle for the solution of complex problems.