Conceptualizing Evolving Interdependence in Groups: Insights From the Analysis of Two-Agent Systems

The concept of interdependence is undoubtedly a fascinating topic in the fields of social psychology and group dynamics. Extensive literature has highlighted the importance of mutual relationships between individuals in a group for the emergence of interdependence, whether positive (individuals have common ideas and/or goals) or negative (conflicting objectives between group members). In this work, we investigate the emergence of positive interdependence in a Two-Agent System, i.e., a simplified version of a Multi-Agent System. Specifically, two mobile robots must accomplish a social foraging task. We considered a simpler case with a single food item in the environment and a more complex scenario in which the agents must choose between two identical food items. Our results reveal that interdependence emerges in both scenarios, although the latter experimental setting introduces a collective decision-making process. Furthermore, the analysis of behavioral strategies shows the existence of multiple complex dynamics, in which individuals cooperate to achieve group success.