The role determines the behavior of each node. In this manner, the environment can only sustain a certain number of structures if the number of structures becomes too great, all will begin to lose energy, and the least efficient will die off the most quickly, until equilibrium is met. This random value is the node s actual value. Each node also has another value, which is its self-perception of its actual value. Leaf nodes are the only nodes where the self-perception matches the actual value.
Parent nodes poll each of their children to find the maximum perceived value.
This value is automatically distorted either positively or randomly along a standard distribution. This is our base noise factor. This result is then distorted again , by a variable clamor factor which is based on the number of children that the parent node has. The more children, the greater the resulting distortion. In developing the model, the two noise factors can be manipulated in relation to each other, creating a noise ratio.