Stigmergy

CORE DEFINITION

Stigmergy is an information coordination mechanism for autonomous individuals in social networks. Without central control or direct contact, groups achieve information symmetry through resonance, allowing individuals to act independently, correct each other, and self-renew, gradually improving the group's ecological environment. Stigmergy is self-organization in the biological world or direct democracy in humans. Its principle is that in group actions, each individual identifies information and traces left by others through resonance to independently complete the next task. Although individuals do not have direct contact or communication, their subsequent spontaneous actions reinforce and improve the results of others' actions, leading to continuity and systematic activity. Stigmergy is also a 'govern by doing nothing' behavior, producing a flourishing and intelligent ecosystem in environments lacking planning, control, or direct contact between individuals. Thus, it provides an efficient cooperation mechanism for extremely simple groups lacking memory, thought, and communication. The nest-building process of African cathedral termites is a typical example.