On the relationship between changes in distributed system behavior and group dynamics

Abstract

What, if any, are the effects of the changes in distributed systems behavior on the social dynamics of distributed groups? The rapid evolution of cloud infrastructures, portable devices and multimedia services has enabled cooperation among strangers in online environments that lack quality of service guarantees. Group members experience delays and inconsistencies in the shared state. Previous research on delays focuses on tightly-coupled tasks and assumes that individual and group interests are aligned. In reality, individual participation in a group depends on how a participant weighs the value and the cost of cooperation. That tension is well captured in mixed-motive tasks (e.g., a social trap). A study was conducted, where 15 groups performed a loosely-coupled task that simulates social traps. Group members experienced a gradual degradation of system performance in the form of complex delays. Groups exhibited different adaptation patterns to the changes in the system behavior. There is no guarantee that group adaptation will always keep the status quo. System interventions are needed to maintain group dynamics.