The epistemic structure of research on polarization in digitally-coupled social networks will be analyzed in order to develop strategies towards cohesive stewardship of collective behavior.

Behavioral contagion—the onset of a species-typical behaviour soon after witnessing it in a conspecific—forms the foundation of behavioral synchrony and cohesive group living in social animals. Although past research has mostly focused on negative emotions or neutral contexts, the sharing of positive emotions in particular may be key for social affiliation. This project investigated the contagion of two socially affiliative interactive behaviours, grooming and play, in chimpanzees.