An activation reinforcement based classifier system for balancing generalisation and specialisation (ARCS)

  • Authors:
  • Anthony Knittel

  • Affiliations:
  • University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 12th annual conference companion on Genetic and evolutionary computation
  • Year:
  • 2010

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Learning Classifier Systems are reinforcement-based learning systems that allow the development of generalised rule sets. They allow a balance between higher level generalisable learning and reinforcement, and have been used in a number of systems to introduce principles from psychology to guide methods of learning. A classifier system based on Activation Reinforcement (ARCS) is described, based on accessibility of traces in semantic memory, that provides a strength related learning technique allowing balance of generalisation and specialisation of rules. The system is based on a minimal number of design principles, is arguably simpler in design than existing classifier systems, and has clearer connections with human cognitive models. Performance on the standard Woods environments shows fast, stable learning allowing near-optimal behaviour. The methods used by ARCS have a number of differences with existing ZCS and XCS approaches, that have potential advantages regarding generalisation techniques, and for addressing sparsely rewarded domains