Driven Maps and the Emergence of Ordered Collective Behavior in Globally Coupled Maps

A method to predict the emergence of different kinds of ordered collective behaviors in systems of globally coupled chaotic maps is proposed. The method is based on the analogy between globally coupled maps and a map subjected to an external drive. A vector field which results from this analogy appears to govern the transient evolution of the globally coupled system. General forms of global couplings are considered. Some simple applications are given.