This research suggests a new model of decision under uncertainty in a multi-period framework where the decision maker (an individual or an organization) is assumed to be boundedly rational. The model differs from existing ones in two key assumptions: (1) the process is assumed to have an infinite history, i.e., to be in a "steady state," and (2Õ) the bounded rationality notion is modeled by a new computational model--a Turing machine with memory. The research objectives are: to define formally a Turing machine with memory; to study the various models of machines with memory, compare their computational ability and analyze the trade-offs among their complexity, size of memory and length of recall; to study the effects of interaction, assuming more than one decision maker is involved, and; to generalize the model in order to allow for the appearance and disappearance of decision makers (or agents) in the context of cooperative and competitive models.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
8814672
Program Officer
Lawrence Rosenblum
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1988-09-15
Budget End
1991-02-28
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
$44,907
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Evanston
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60201