Obiettivo In many taxa, individuals form groups that collectively process information and make decisions. Through pooling information, these groups can theoretically achieve better decisions than solitary agents. However, it has become increasingly clear that understanding successes and failures of collective decision-making requires a detailed understanding of individual cognitive abilities and of information transfer among group members. I would like to build on my background in social insect collective behavior to investigate a longstanding question in complex systems science: when and how does collective intelligence emerge from individual cognition? I propose to elucidate this issue using novel experiments with homing pigeons–a species that has numerous advantages as a model system. First, pigeons can process information both individually and collectively. When flying alone, each pigeon establishes idiosyncratic habitual routes over time, based on memorized chains of landscape cues. Flocks of pigeons are also collectively able to develop distinctive routes. Thus, I can directly compare the cognitive performance of individuals and groups by giving them the same spatio-cognitive tasks. Second, as pigeons have been among the most important subjects in laboratory experiments on animal cognition, a wealth of data is available on pigeons’ individual cognition. Finally, cutting-edge GPS devices provide high-resolution spatiotemporal data, allowing me to create and validate highly detailed individual-based models. My results will be applicable to multiple research fields, including optimal decision-making theory and collective robotics. Campo scientifico engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsoptical sensorssocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssocial sciencespsychologynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics Programma(i) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Argomento(i) MSCA-IF-2014-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Invito a presentare proposte H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinatore THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Contribution nette de l'UE € 195 454,80 Indirizzo WELLINGTON SQUARE UNIVERSITY OFFICES OX1 2JD Oxford Regno Unito Mostra sulla mappa Regione South East (England) Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Tipo di attività Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Partecipazione a programmi di R&I dell'UE Opens in new window Rete di collaborazione HORIZON Opens in new window Costo totale € 195 454,80
