An international study, published in the journal Nature Communications, reveals that one’s true strength lies neither in solitary audacity nor in imitation, but in one’s ability to switch from one to the other as circumstances dictate.
To unravel this adaptive mechanism, a team of researchers from the Cluster of Excellence Science of Intelligence, the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, the University of Tübingen and New York University developed an original experimental protocol.
They invited 128 volunteers to explore the virtual world of Minecraft, each controlling an avatar tasked with destroying blocks to uncover hidden treasures. When a reward was found, a blue splash appeared, offering social information to all players.
At the start of each round, participants were told whether they would play alone or in groups of four, with the possibility of interacting in real time.
The experiment took place in two types of environments: “patchy,” where resources were clustered together and social information was crucial; and “random,” where treasures were scattered, making the observation of others superfluous.
Each player had to juggle individual exploration and social learning to maximise their gains.
“Using a game like Minecraft is useful because it simulates real-life challenges. For instance, since you can only see a small part of the game world at a time, you must choose whether to focus on searching on your own or pay attention to what the other players are doing to learn from them,” said Ralf Kurvers, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, and senior author of the study, quoted in a news release.
Knowing when to trust your instincts
Throughout the experiment, the researchers closely monitored each player’s movements and where they looked when foraging, to understand when and why they changed strategy.
The results were clear: when the first reward appeared in a “patchy” environment, participants had the reflex to explore the surrounding area.
On the other hand, in the event of failure, they preferred to follow players who seemed to be doing better, as if they were thinking: “That person seems to know what they’re doing, let’s go and see what they’re trying.”
Spontaneous dynamics of leaders and followers were then established, creating veritable “hotspots” of activity around the most successful players.
Conversely, in “random” environments, where treasures were scattered without logic, participants relied more on their own instincts.
The best players stood out for their formidable ability to adapt. They knew how to assess the situation in real time, detect the signals of a changing environment and adjust their strategy immediately.
Able to adapt dynamically rather than follow fixed patterns of behaviour, they explored when the opportunity presented itself and drew inspiration from others when it was more advantageous. This mental gymnastics reveals that adaptability surpasses any fixed approach.
Far beyond Minecraft, this study speaks volumes about our everyday behaviour.
It’s not so much our talent for innovation or imitation that makes the difference, but one’s ability to know when to switch from one to the other. As such, adapting at the right moment could be the real key to success.