Abstract
We present statistical evidence and dynamical models for the management of conflict and a division of labor (task specialization) in a primate society. Two broad intervention strategy classes are observed– a dyadic strategy – pacifying interventions, and a triadic strategy –policing interventions. These strategies, their respective degrees of specialization, and their consequences for conflict dynamics can be captured through empirically-grounded mathematical models inspired by immuno-dynamics. The spread of aggression, analogous to the proliferation of pathogens, is an epidemiological problem. We show analytically and computationally that policing is an efficient strategy as it requires only a small proportion of a population to police to reduce conflict contagion. Policing, but not pacifying, is capable of effectively eliminating conflict. These results suggest that despite implementation differences there might be universal features of conflict management mechanisms for reducing contagion-like dynamics that apply across biological and social levels. Our analyses further suggest that it can be profitable to conceive of conflict management strategies at the behavioral level as mechanisms of social immunity.
Highlights
In large societies of individuals or cells, sophisticated regulatory mechanisms are required to control conflict and promote coordination [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
It was shown that the frequency distribution of policing interventions is heavy-tailed
The frequency distribution of pacifying interventions on the other hand is normal. This difference suggests that there might be a proto-division of labor for policing interventions but not for pacifying interventions
Summary
In large societies of individuals or cells, sophisticated regulatory mechanisms are required to control conflict and promote coordination [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. A second strategy is an impartial intervention –a policing intervention– in which all conflict participants are targeted indiscriminately by a third-party through aggression, or through the implicit threat of aggression inherent in an approach by the third-party [6]. Both pacifying and policing interventions can cause the fight to terminate and/or aggression to dissipate [6]
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