On the limitations of the univariate marginal distribution algorithm to deception and where bivariate EDAs might help

We introduce a new benchmark problem called Deceptive Leading Blocks (DLB) to rigorously study the runtime of the Univariate Marginal Distribution Algorithm (UMDA) in the presence of epistasis and deception. We show that simple Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) outperform the UMDA unless the selective pressure $\mu/\lambda$ is extremely high, where $\mu$ and $\lambda$ are the parent and offspring population sizes, respectively. More precisely, we show that the UMDA with a parent population size of $\mu=\Omega(\log n)$ has an expected runtime of $e^{\Omega(\mu)}$ on the DLB problem assuming any selective pressure $\frac{\mu}{\lambda} \geq \frac{14}{1000}$, as opposed to the expected runtime of $\mathcal{O}(n\lambda\log \lambda+n^3)$ for the non-elitist $(\mu,\lambda)~\text{EA}$ with $\mu/\lambda\leq 1/e$. These results illustrate inherent limitations of univariate EDAs against deception and epistasis, which are common characteristics of real-world problems. In contrast, empirical evidence reveals the efficiency of the bi-variate MIMIC algorithm on the DLB problem. Our results suggest that one should consider EDAs with more complex probabilistic models when optimising problems with some degree of epistasis and deception.Comment: To appear in the 15th ACM/SIGEVO Workshop on Foundations of Genetic Algorithms (FOGA XV), Potsdam, German

Pacific Weekly, September 1, 1944

https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/pacifican/2538/thumbnail.jp

Pacific Weekly, September 25, 1942

https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/pacifican/2421/thumbnail.jp

The Pacifican November 11, 2010

https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/pacifican/1134/thumbnail.jp

On the Evolution of Overconfidence and Entrepreneurs

This paper explains why seemingly irrational overconfident behavior can persist. Information aggregation is poor in groups in which most individuals herd. By ignoring the herd, the actions of overconfident individuals ("entrepreneurs") convey their private information. However, entrepreneurs make mistakes and thus die more frequently. The socially optimal proportion of entrepreneurs trades off the positive information externality against high attrition rates of entrepreneurs, and depends on the size of the group, on the degree of overconfidence, and on the accuracy of individuals' private information. The stationary distribution trades off the fitness of the group against the fitness of overconfident individuals.Evolution, overconfidence, behavioral economics

Montana Kaimin, April 13, 1990

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper/9301/thumbnail.jp

Montana Kaimin, April 13, 1990

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper/9301/thumbnail.jp

Montana Kaimin, April 13, 1990

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper/9301/thumbnail.jp

Pacifican, October 18, 1968

https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/pacifican/2883/thumbnail.jp

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationSocial dominance is the most important known behavior to reproductive success of males across the animal kingdom. A high social dominance rank is usually gained by physical competition or signals displaying competitor quality. Despite its importance in shaping the diversity seen in the animal kingdom, little is known about specific traits that promote high competitive ability within an individual. In this dissertation, I begin to elucidate some of the behavioral physiology underpinning competitive ability in the premier mammalian model system, the house mice (Mus musculus). House mice are ideally suited for this study because of a well-characterized natural history demonstrating that dominant males gain ~90% of all fitness, while still having to perform many other behaviors, such as foraging. In this dissertation, I provide an overview of the some hypothesized constraints on the evolution of competitive ability and phenotypic trade-offs with other important life-history traits. Second, I describe an experiment that investigated multiple traits at several levels of biological for their possible influence on competitive ability. I demonstrate that competitive ability is heritable, moderately influenced by relative body mass, and negatively influence by litter sex ratio. No effect of litter size, relative age, or placement order was seen. Third, I demonstrate that aggression and competitive ability are distinct phenomena in iv this system. Next, I demonstrate that primary signaling pheromone of house mice, major urinary proteins, do not advertise rank but are responsive to social experience. Finally, I switch clades and demonstrate that relative brain size in primates is positively associated with intensity of male-male competition. Collectively, this project demonstrates that competitive ability is an extremely complicated phenotype and merits a great deal more study