Belonging and refueling: Group dynamics in foraging flocks

Abstract

We extend the Couzin collective motion model with energy–dependent foraging, where agents balance two competing motivations: remaining with the group versus breaking away to refuel. While both behaviors are individually driven, they reflect different priorities–social cohesion versus physiological need. Our results bridge foraging theory with collective motion, revealing how state-dependent behavioral switching produces phase transitions with implications for collective decision-making in natural systems and autonomous swarm design. Local repulsion–orientation–attraction interactions produce group behavior, whereas refueling requires an intentional defection from this emergent cohesion. Our model explores how agents switch between these internally motivated but functionally distinct behaviors and how this switching gives rise to collective phase transitions. Environmental constraints like ground repulsion radius restrict parameter regions supporting coherent motion while preserving energy balance, showing maintained foraging performance despite spatial limitations.