:orphan:

**********
Parameters
**********

A simulation uses a number of *parameters*, for example how many subjects that
should be simulated. Therefore, in order
to run a simulation, a number of parameter values must be set.
Use the equal sign to set the value of a parameter.
For example, to tell *Learning Simulator* to simulate 10 subjects, set the parameter ``n_subjects`` to the value ``10`` like so::

  n_subjects = 10

Below follows a description of each of the available parameters in *Learning Simulator*·
For a detailed description, syntax, and examples, click the parameter name.

In the tables below, "element" means stimulus element.

Simulation parameters
*********************

+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Parameter                    | Description        | Default/        | Possible values                                   | | Used in      |
|                              |                    | *Required*      |                                                   | | mechanisms   |
+==============================+====================+=================+===================================================+================+
| :doc:`alpha_v`               | | Learning rate    | 1               | | - A single value                                | All except     |
|                              | | for v-values     |                 | | - One value per element-behavior pair           | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`alpha_vss`             | | Learning rate    | 1               | | - A single value                                | ``rw``         |
|                              | | for vss-values   |                 | | - One value per element-element pair            |                |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`alpha_w`               | | Learning rate    | 1               | | - A single value                                | ``ga`` and     |
|                              | | for w-values     |                 | | - One value per stimulus element                | ``ac``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`behaviors`             | | The behavior     | *Required*      | List of behavior names                            | All except     |
|                              | | repertoire       |                 |                                                   | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`behavior_cost`         | | Cost for         | 0               | | - A single value                                | All except     |
|                              | | behaviors        |                 | | - One value per behavior                        | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`beta`                  | Exploration        | 1               | | - A single value                                | All except     |
|                              |                    |                 | | - One value per element-behavior pair           | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`discount`              | Discount factor    | 0               | A number between 0 and 1                          | ``ga``, ``es`` |
|                              |                    |                 |                                                   | ``ac``, ``ql`` |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`lambda`                | Reinforcement      | 0               | | - A single value                                | ``rw``         |
|                              |                    |                 | | - One value per stimulus element                |                |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`mechanism`             | Learning mechanism | *Required*      | ``ga``, ``sr``, ``es``, ``ql``, ``ac``, or ``rw`` |                |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`mu`                    | | Genetic          | 0               | | - A single value                                | All except     |
|                              | | predisposition   |                 | | - One value per element-behavior pair           | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`n_subjects`            | | Number of        | 1               | Positive integer                                  | All            |
|                              | | subjects         |                 |                                                   |                | 
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`random_seed`           | Random seed        | None            | Any string (typically integers are used)          | All            |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`response_requirements` | | Possible stimuli | | All stimuli   | | List of                                         | All except     |
|                              | | per behavior     | | possible for  | | ``behavior:element`` and/or                     | ``rw``         |
|                              |                    | | each behavior | | ``behavior:[element1,element2,...]``            |                |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`stimulus_elements`     | Stimulus elements  | *Required*      | List of stimulus element names                    | All            |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`start_v`               | Intial v-values    | 0               | | - A single value                                | All except     |
|                              |                    |                 | | - One value per element-behavior pair           | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`start_vss`             | | Initial vss-     | 0               | | - A single value                                | ``rw``         |
|                              | | values           |                 | | - One value per element-element pair            |                |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+ 
| :doc:`start_w`               | Initial w-values   | 0               | | - A single value                                | ``ga`` and     |
|                              |                    |                 | | - One value per stimulus element                | ``ac``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`trace`                 | Memory trace       | 0               | A number between 0 and 1                          | ``ga`` and     |
|                              |                    |                 |                                                   | ``sr``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| :doc:`u`                     | Reinforcement      | 0               | | - A single value                                | All except     |
|                              |                    |                 | | - One value per stimulus element                | ``rw``         |
+------------------------------+--------------------+-----------------+---------------------------------------------------+----------------+

Postprocessing parameters
*************************

+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| Parameter                 | Description        | Default/     | Possible values                         | | Used in     |
|                           |                    | *Required*   |                                         | | commands    |
+===========================+====================+==============+=========================================+===============+
| :doc:`cumulative`         | Plot/export        | ``on``       | | - ``on``                              | ``@nplot``    |
|                           | cumulative         |              | | - ``off``                             | ``@nexport``  |
|                           | values             |              |                                         |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`filename`           | Exported           | *Required*   | | a valid file name                     | | Export      |
|                           | file               | in export    | | with or without path                  | | commands    |
|                           |                    | commands     |                                         |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`match`              | | How to match     | ``subset``   | | - ``subset``                          | ``@nplot``    |
|                           | | compound stimuli |              | | - ``exact``                           | ``@nexport``  |
|                           | | to ``@nplot``    |              |                                         |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`runlabel`           | | Which ``@run``   | | The last   | | string without space                  | All           |
|                           | | command to use   | | ``@run``   | |                                       |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`xscale`             | The x-axis         | ``all``      | | - ``all``                             | All           |
|                           | scale              |              | | - a stimulus element                  |               |
|                           |                    |              | | - a behavior                          |               |
|                           |                    |              | | - stimulus->behavior->stimulus->...   |               |
|                           |                    |              | | - behavior->stimulus->behavior->...   |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`xscale_match`       | | How to match     | ``subset``   | | - ``subset``                          | All           |
|                           | | compound stimuli |              | | - ``exact``                           |               |
|                           | | to ``xscale``    |              |                                         |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`phases`             | | Which phase(s)   | ``all``      | | - ``all``                             | All           |
|                           | | to use           |              | | - list of phase labels                |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+
| :doc:`subject`            | | Which subject(s) | ``average``  | | - ``average``, ``all``                | All           |
|                           | | to use           |              | | - ``all``                             |               |
|                           |                    |              | | - one-based index                     |               |
|                           |                    |              |     :math:`\le` ``n_subjects``          |               |
+---------------------------+--------------------+--------------+-----------------------------------------+---------------+