Authors
Todd A Pringle, Lyle Stramer, Michael D Robinson
Published in
Frontiers in psychology. Volume 17. Pages 1774466. Epub Jul 20, 2026.
Abstract
This study presents an initial computational test of bounded diversity advantage theory (BDAT), which posits that bounded personality diversity enhances emergent collective problem-solving, using a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) testbed.
The current PSO instantiation includes a novel monitoring approach to quantify group agreement dynamics. Focusing on conscientiousness-like behavior, operationalized as industriousness and persistence in swarm agents through adaptive inertia, six diverse and non-diverse swarm compositions were compared across 11 two-dimensional mathematical search functions. Swarm outcomes were evaluated using a Performance Efficiency Score (PES), which balances error (fitness) and iterations (time).
Diverse compositions outperformed non-diverse compositions, consistent with the present operationalization of BDAT-derived predictions concerning bounded diversity and premature closure. Monitoring asymmetry in polarized swarms at the first convergence threshold (50%) further indicated that highly industrious agents disproportionately drove early convergence while low-industriousness agents remained more exploratory, a process pattern also consistent BDAT predictions.
These findings suggest that PSO can serve as a useful computational testbed for examining some BDAT mechanisms, while broader validation of BDAT will require additional research. The findings bridge personality psychology, group processes, and evolutionary perspectives, offering a framework to explore how personality diversity fosters collective intelligence.
PMID:
42548825
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 04 Aug 2026.
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