Response threshold
The reaction threshold is the value at which the majority of the individuals observed in the course of an experiment show a certain, (still) perceptible reaction to a stimulus. For example, swarms or states of fish, birds, ants and other experimental animals show either a reaction to the behavior of a single individual or not. If at least 50% of the swarm react to the behavior, for example by copying this behavior or showing another reaction triggered by the original behavior, the reaction threshold for the swarm / state has been exceeded. As a result, more and more individuals, or all individuals, will take over the reaction that the majority has chosen, a behavior that is known as collective intelligence .
Response threshold of the collective
Swarms of animals do not react to commands or commands that they receive from a central control center, but can only react in one way or another to the behavior of individual individuals. Since such "decisions" by individual, "stupid" individuals can always be wrong, the swarm as a whole only reacts when a certain reaction threshold has been reached, i.e. when enough individuals have decided on a certain behavior.
- A school of fish as a whole reacts to certain movements of the individual individuals. For example, if a fish swims in one direction, it can be followed either by other fish in sufficient numbers or by just a few. Usually it is enough that some react in a certain way, since the behavior is then set in a kind of domino effect by more and more individuals. In total, all or a clear majority of individuals move in one direction or there is no reaction to movements of individuals, so that the individual again takes the direction of the others. So move z. B. Schools of fish and birds.
- The neurons as "individuals" of the superorganism "brain" also work together due to certain reaction thresholds, so that what we understand by "intelligence" results.
Reaction threshold of individual individuals
The reaction threshold is also used when an individual shows a certain reaction to a certain situation or due to the behavior of another individual. This is how an ant reacts e.g. B. at a certain temperature or on the arrival of other ants during construction:
- The worker ants react to the fact that the explorer ants return to the burrow in sufficient numbers by going to gather food. The reaction threshold is, for example, one explorer ant per 10 seconds. If at least this value is reached, the majority of workers react.
- The South American ant species Camponotus rufipes brings the brood to warmer parts of the burrow when it reaches a "critical temperature". The temperature that must be reached as a reaction threshold for the animals also depends on their experience.
- Human decisions are also dependent on reaching a certain reaction threshold. Based on the information available, one reacts either way, or one takes an action or not. Advertising can, for example, lower the reaction threshold for buying a advertised item.
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- ↑ http://www.wissenschaft-online.de/abo/lexikon/bio/55883 Lexicon of Science
- ↑ http://www.natur.de/scripts/basics/natur/news/basics.prg?a_no=3411 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
