Synchronization of complex human networks

The synchronization of human networks, and the possibility of obtaining an agreement in a group, are essential for our survival. The dynamics of human networks are affecting every aspect of our lives in politics, economics, science, and engineering, and are essential for our mental and physical health. We study the unique properties of human networks and their dynamics by resorting to coupled violin players. We found that the human ability to ignore inputs or to focus on an input change dramatically the dynamics of the network compared to other coupled networks. We show how human networks react to frustrating situations, how they change the network connectivity or the network coupling strength, and how they escape local minima. In addition, the formation of leaders has a significant impact on the dynamics of human groups and networks and can completely shift the trajectory of a society. We study how leaders are formed and the driving forces that make one a leader. We investigate ways to control who becomes the leader by tuning the external network parameters. Our results may influence numerous fields, including traffic management, epidemic control, and stock market dynamics. In the talk, I will describe our experimental setup, present the results, and discuss all the consequences of these unique dynamics.