Simulating exploration versus exploitation in agent foraging under different environment uncertainties

Nader Chmait; David L. Dowe; David G. Green; Yuan-Fang Li

doi:10.1017/S0140525X18001954

Simulating exploration versus exploitation in agent foraging under different environment uncertainties

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 March 2019

and

Nader Chmait: Affiliation:
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia. nader.chmait@monash.edudavid.dowe@monash.edudavid.green@monash.eduyuanfang.li@monash.eduhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~naderc/http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~dld/David.Dowe.publications.htmlhttps://research.monash.edu/en/persons/david-greenhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~yli/
David L. Dowe: Affiliation:
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia. nader.chmait@monash.edudavid.dowe@monash.edudavid.green@monash.eduyuanfang.li@monash.eduhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~naderc/http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~dld/David.Dowe.publications.htmlhttps://research.monash.edu/en/persons/david-greenhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~yli/
David G. Green: Affiliation:
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia. nader.chmait@monash.edudavid.dowe@monash.edudavid.green@monash.eduyuanfang.li@monash.eduhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~naderc/http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~dld/David.Dowe.publications.htmlhttps://research.monash.edu/en/persons/david-greenhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~yli/
Yuan-Fang Li: Affiliation:
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia. nader.chmait@monash.edudavid.dowe@monash.edudavid.green@monash.eduyuanfang.li@monash.eduhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~naderc/http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~dld/David.Dowe.publications.htmlhttps://research.monash.edu/en/persons/david-greenhttp://users.monash.edu.au/~yli/

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Abstract

For artificial agents trading off exploration (food seeking) versus (short-term) exploitation (or consumption), our experiments suggest that uncertainty (interpreted information, theoretically) magnifies food seeking. In more uncertain environments, with food distributed uniformly randomly, exploration appears to be beneficial. In contrast, in biassed (less uncertain) environments, with food concentrated in only one part, exploitation appears to be more advantageous. Agents also appear to do better in biassed environments.

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Type: Open Peer Commentary
Information: Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 42 , 2019 , e39

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X18001954 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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