A new study of sheep behavior shows that humans can display collective intelligence so impressive that they can learn from.
The popular image of social animal species is shaping up to include leaders and followers in a hierarchical order. But science is slowly breaking down these depictions, showing that species like wolves and baboons are actually quite democratic in their processes. Even sheep accused of recklessly following the herd leader take the initiative when the time is right, the new study shows.
Professor Fernando Peruani from the Université Côte d’Azur and co-authors studied the movements of several herds of 2-4 ewes, all of the same age, to explore theories of the herd as a self-organizing process. Movements were tracked from a nearby tower. “Each movement segment had a temporary leader who guided the group in line-up,” the authors said, and they found that the sheep collectively switched behavior between grazing and moving to greener pastures. The leaders of the sheep changed randomly.
The likely reason why sheep rotate instead of always looking after the same leader is that it allows them to benefit from the knowledge of different herd members. If a sheep notices that the grass on the other side of an open fence is greener, it leads the herd. The presence of these interim leaders can help clear up the confusion we feel when trying to decide where to dine with a group of friends.
Hierarchical structures fail when a trusted leader misses an opportunity and is too stupid to listen to advice. But the rotational leadership of the sheep can reduce conflict within the herd. It’s much easier to accept a decision you don’t like if you know it will be your turn again soon.
Of course, sometimes things don’t go well. An example of this is the sheep walking in a circle for days in the interior of Mongolia and apparently unable to escape the circle.
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