A number of studies have found that larger groups of foragers locate resources more rapidly than smaller ones. This may be explained both in terms of encounter rates increasing with searcher group size, and through social effects that lead individuals in larger groups to behave differently compared to those in smaller groups or alone. To determine the importance of social effects upon individual searching behaviour, I tracked the movement of individual stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in differently-sized groups as they searched through arenas containing hidden prey patches. As expected, the latencies of the first individuals in larger groups to locate the prey patch were indeed lower than those of lone fish. Individuals that were  in groups had different movement profiles compared to lone individuals; they were less saltatory, generally more active, and spent more time in open water away from cover. This suggests that the more effective searching behaviour of larger groups may be due at least in part to differences in how individuals search their surroundings, rather than simple encounter rate effects alone. The differences in the behaviour of individuals within groups compared to individuals that are by themselves may be brought about through reduced perception of risk by grouped individuals, increased competition or some combination of both.