Defining and classifying models of groups: The social ontology of higher-order networks

Abstract: In complex systems research, the study of higher-order interactions has exploded in recent years. Researchers have formalized various types of group interactions, such as public goods games, biological contagion, and information broadcasting, showing how higher-order networks can capture group effects more directly than pairwise models. However, equating hyperedges-edges involving more than two agents-with groups can be misleading, as it obscures the polysemous nature of ``group interactions''. For instance, many models of higher-order interactions focus on the internal state of the hyperedge, specifying dynamical rules at the group level. These models often neglect how interactions with external groups can influence behaviors and dynamics within the group. Yet, anthropologists and philosophers remind us that external norms, factors, and forces governing intergroup behavior are essential to defining within-group dynamics. In this paper, we synthesize concepts from social ontology relevant to the emerging physics of higher-order networks. We propose a typology for classifying models of group interactions based on two perspectives. The first focuses on individuals within groups engaging in collective action, where shared agency serves as the binding force. The second adopts a group-first approach, emphasizing institutional facts that extend beyond the specific individuals involved. Building on these perspectives, we introduce four dimensions to classify models of group interactions: persistence, coupling, reducibility, and alignment. For the physics of higher-order networks, we provide a hierarchy of nested mathematical models to explore the complex properties of social groups. We highlight social interactions not yet explored in the literature on higher-order networks and propose future research avenues to foster collaboration between social ontology and the physics of complex systems.