---
abstract: 'This paper discusses research into whether the memories of adaptive autonomous agents can be made to spontaneously evolve spacing effects.  Experiments involving human memory have shown that learning trials massed closely in time elicit slower learning than the equivalent number trials spaced apart in time.  These "spacing effects" have been observed across a wide array of conditions.  The experimental results detailed here show that such effects can be made to evolve spontaneously in autonomous agents.  The results also suggest that the greater learning difficulty humans experience from closely spaced trials may not be the result of a defect of biology, but rather may be a consequence of a need to give only the appropriate weight to each learning experience.'
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creators_name:
  - family: Markovitch
    given: J. S.
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
date: 1994-09
date_type: published
datestamp: 2003-04-28
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dir: disk0/00/00/29/11
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eprintid: 2911
fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png;/2911/1/EvolutionOfAutonomousAgents.pdf
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keywords: |-
  spacing effects
  disambiguation
  genetic algorithms
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:16
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pubdom: FALSE
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refereed: FALSE
referencetext: |+
  1.  Ackley, D. H., M. L. Littman, "Interactions Between Learning and Evolution,"  Artificial Life, vol. X, edited by C. G. Langton, C. Taylor, J. D. Farmer, & Rasmussen, SFI Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, Proc. Vol. X, 487-509. Redwood City, CA: Addison-Wesley, 1992.
  2.  Dawkins, R.  The Selfish Gene.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 1976.
  3.  Goldberg, D. Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization, and Machine Learning.  Reading, MA:  Addison-Wesley, 1989.
  4.  Hintzman, D. L.,  R. A. Block, and J. J. Summers, "Modality Tags and Memory for Repetitions:  Locus of the Spacing Effect," Journal of Verbal Learning Behavior, 1973 (12), 229-38.
  5.  Holland, J. H., Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems.  Ann Arbor:  University of Michigan, 1975.
  6.  Landauer, Thomas K., "Memory Without Organization:  Properties of a Model with Random Storage and Undirected Retrieval," Cognitive Psychology, 1975 (7), 495-531.
  7.  MacLennan, Bruce J., "Synthetic Ethology,"  Artificial Life, vol. X, edited by C. G. Langton, C. Taylor, J. D. Farmer, & Rasmussen, SFI Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, Proc. Vol. X, 631-658. Redwood City, CA: Addison-Wesley, 1992. 
  8.  Wickelgren, W. A. Learning and Memory, 1977.

relation_type: []
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reportno: ~
rev_number: 12
series: ~
source: ~
status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:47:28
subjects:
  - comp-sci-mach-learn
  - bio-evo
  - percep-cog-psy
succeeds: ~
suggestions: ~
sword_depositor: ~
sword_slug: ~
thesistype: ~
title: The Evolution of Spacing Effects in Autonomous Agents
type: preprint
userid: 4003
volume: ~
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