Genetic Algorithms and Genetic Linkage

Abstract

This chapter provides a summary of fundamental materials on genetic algorithms. It presents definitions of genetic algorithm terms and briefly describes how a simple genetic algorithm works. Then, it introduces the term genetic linkage and the so-called linkage problem that exists in common genetic algorithm practice. The importance of genetic linkage is often overlooked, and this chapter helps explain why linkage learning is an essential topic in the field of genetic and evolutionary algorithms. More detailed information and comprehensive background can be found elsewhere [28, 32, 53].