Generation Gaps Revisited

There has been a lot of recent interest in so-called "steady state" genetic algorithms (GAs) which, among other things, replace only a few individuals (typically 1 or 2) each generation from a fixed size population of size N. Understanding the advantages and/or disadvantages of replacing only a fraction of the population each generation (rather than the entire population) was a goal of some of the earliest GA research. In spite of considerable progress in our understanding of GAs since then, the pros/cons of overlapping generations remains a somewhat cloudy issue. However, recent theoretical and empirical results provide the background for a much clearer understanding of this issue. In this paper we review, combine, and extend these results in a way that significantly sharpens our insight.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1992
• Where: FOGA
• Authors: Kenneth A. De Jong, Jayshree Sarma
• Keywords: Advantages And/or Disadvantages, Earliest Ga Research, FOGA 1992, FOGA 2007, Size Population