Biological communication links individual and group processes. We develop a simple model and simulation for two-individual coordinated movement using information theory. The information approach provides an intuitive definition of coordination as the number of bits required to represent two individual actions jointly. Pairwise communication is modeled as a one-way channel with a sender and receiver and negligible environmental noise. Roles of sender and receiver are assigned randomly. A sender selects a heading from one of eight directions in polar coordinates and moves. This movement is parsed by the receiver, who moves in the same direction, and the process is repeated.
Results/Conclusions
Two individuals communicate and follow the same trajectory. We conclude that, for future research on the emergence of group coordination from individual behavior, information theory deserves consideration.
