Herbert Zheng Wu

Abstract Across species, cooperative behaviour is often organized by distinct social roles such as leaders and followers1, yet the neural mechanisms that support these emergent role dynamics remain unclear. Here we introduce a mouse paradigm that captures leader–follower dynamics during cooperation. In this paradigm, stable social roles emerge through reciprocal interaction and predict learning speed.

Abstract Understanding the intentions and beliefs of others, a phenomenon known as "theory of mind", is a crucial element in social behavior. These beliefs and perceptions are inherently subjective and latent, making them often unobservable for investigation. Social interactions further complicate the matter, as multiple agents can engage in recursive reasoning about each other's strategies with increasing levels of cognitive hierarchy.