?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Making+and+breaking+power+laws+in+evolutionary+algorithm+population+dynamics&rft.creator=Whitacre%2C+Dr+James+M&rft.creator=Sarker%2C+Dr+Ruhul+A&rft.creator=Pham%2C+Dr+Q.+Tuan&rft.subject=Artificial+Intelligence&rft.description=Deepening+our+understanding+of+the+characteristics+and+behaviors+of+population-based+search+algorithms+remains+an+important+ongoing+challenge+in+Evolutionary+Computation.+To+date+however%2C+most+studies+of+Evolutionary+Algorithms+have+only+been+able+to+take+place+within+tightly+restricted+experimental+conditions.+For+instance%2C+many+analytical+methods+can+only+be+applied+to+canonical+algorithmic+forms+or+can+only+evaluate+evolution+over+simple+test+functions.+Analysis+of+EA+behavior+under+more+complex+conditions+is+needed+to+broaden+our+understanding+of+this+population-based+search+process.+This+paper+presents+an+approach+to+analyzing+EA+behavior+that+can+be+applied+to+a+diverse+range+of+algorithm+designs+and+environmental+conditions.+The+approach+is+based+on+evaluating+an+individual%E2%80%99s+impact+on+population+dynamics+using+metrics+derived+from+genealogical+graphs.%0D%0AFrom+experiments+conducted+over+a+broad+range+of+conditions%2C+some+important+conclusions+are+drawn+in+this+study.+First%2C+it+is+determined+that+very+few+individuals+in+an+EA+population+have+a+significant+influence+on+future+population+dynamics+with+the+impact+size+fitting+a+power+law+distribution.+The+power+law+distribution+indicates+there+is+a+non-negligible+probability+that+single+individuals+will+dominate+the+entire+population%2C+irrespective+of+population+size.+Two+EA+design+features+are+however+found+to+cause+strong+changes+to+this+aspect+of+EA+behavior%3A+i)+the+population+topology+and+ii)+the+introduction+of+completely+new+individuals.+If+the+EA+population+topology+has+a+long+path+length+or+if+new+(i.e.+historically+uncoupled)+individuals+are+continually+inserted+into+the+population%2C+then+power+law+deviations+are+observed+for+large+impact+sizes.+It+is+concluded+that+such+EA+designs+can+not+be+dominated+by+a+small+number+of+individuals+and+hence+should+theoretically+be+capable+of+exhibiting+higher+degrees+of+parallel+search+behavior.&rft.publisher=Springer&rft.date=2009-06&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6583%2F1%2FGenealogical_analysis_of_EA_population_dynamics.pdf&rft.identifier=++Whitacre%2C+Dr+James+M+and+Sarker%2C+Dr+Ruhul+A+and+Pham%2C+Dr+Q.+Tuan++(2009)+Making+and+breaking+power+laws+in+evolutionary+algorithm+population+dynamics.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F6583%2F