Social simulation using a multi-agent model based on classi systems: The emergence of vacillating behaviour in the \el farol" bar problem

Novel use of the \El Farol " problem (EFP) [1] { using a changing comfort threshold { testing a multi-agent system that learns using a learning classier system (XCS) [4] is introduced (MAXCS) [3]. The EFP is in-spired in a bar which has just a certain percent of seats (called hereafter comfort threshold) of the total agent population 1. Each week, the agents decide whether to go or not to the bar, based on their previous ex-perience. If the number of agents that go exceeds the number of seats, the place becomes uncomfortable, and those agents who decided to stay at home are re-warded, otherwise, those who attended are. There is no exact solution to the EFP, but for the purpose of this research a satisfactory result, or solution shoul