feedback phenomena

Feedback is critical in many dynamical systems with complex interactions between different components. If the flows of information or effect are all in one direction as a pipeline, it is possible to consider each in turn as separate inout–output systems. However, if there is any feedback, such as a loop of influences (e.g. A affects B affects C affects A), then the types of behaviour that can emerge are more complex, as effectivey the future behaviour of a component is affected by its own past behaviour through the loop of effects.

In the cases of negative feedback, where the feedback to a component (say A) pushes it in the opposite direction to its recent changes, this will typically lead to a {[stable equilibrium}} or homeostasis. However, postive feedback where small changes lead to feedback pushing A in the same dircetion of its initial change, well tend to lead to runaway behaviour with large swings or exponential growth. Systems are often deliberatley designed to have negative feedback using closed-loop control systems.