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EXPERIMENT 04● RUNNING

DEAD END

What happens when the colony learns the wrong answer?

Path A is short and rich, then depleted. Path B is longer, poor at first, then abundant. Does the colony stay trapped by its own trail network, or adapt?

Question

What happens when the colony learns the wrong answer?

Conditions

Two corridors. A: short, unlimited until 10:00. B: long, 40 units at 04:10, unlimited from 10:00.

Rules

Same local rules as every experiment. Slow pheromone decay makes established trails persistent.

Pass rule

At least 80% of the last 20 returns come from Path B within 30 simulated minutes of the loss.

Control

Path A trail strength before loss.

Limitations

Two paths only. Shows how collective memory can delay adaptation; real colonies have additional mechanisms.

Can collective memory become collective bias?