EXP-TOPO-CYCLE-R2

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Cycle Topology vs Complete — Replication 2

2026-03-16 L3 level paper3 1 runs $0.00

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In plain language

This experiment tested if a specific network structure, called "cycle topology," would lead to less complex hierarchies compared to a fully connected network. The initial small test suggested it might, but this larger test was not powerful enough to draw any conclusions. Therefore, it's still unclear if the cycle topology is indeed better at reducing complexity.

What we found

UNDERPOWERED (N=1): No predictions scored

Predictions we made before running

0/4 confirmed

▶ Technical details

Research hypothesis

Replication of exp-topo-cycle pilot.

HYPOTHESIS: Cycle topology REDUCES hierarchy (TR_range) relative to complete topology.

Pilot (N=1) found: TR_range = 0.071 (vs complete 0.444) VP_excess = 0.167 (vs complete 0.075) RP = 0.081 (vs complete 0.147) ESC C = 0.715 (vs complete 0.344)

Replication with different rotation + seed to assess robustness.

Experimental setup

Type: simple

Condition	Parameters
CYCLE_LIVE	topology: CYCLE, interaction: LIVE, note: Directed cycle — each agent reads only predecessor

Factors: topology (CYCLE)

Parameters

n_agents: 3
n_rounds: 48
n_runs_per_condition: 1
model: gemini-2.5-flash-lite
temperature: 0.9
scheduler: round_robin

Trophic Ratios by Condition

Mean trophic ratio per agent across runs. Error bars = ±1 std dev. Higher TR = more upstream (exporter).