Content area

Abstract

We investigate the convergence properties of policy iteration and value iteration algorithms in reinforcement learning by leveraging fixed-point theory, with a focus on mappings that exhibit weak contractive behavior. Unlike traditional studies that rely on strong contraction properties, such as those defined by the Banach contraction principle, we consider a more general class of mappings that includes weak contractions. Employing Zamfirscu’s fixed-point theorem, we establish sufficient conditions for norm convergence in infinite-dimensional policy spaces under broad assumptions. Our approach extends the applicability of these algorithms to feedback control problems in reinforcement learning, where standard contraction conditions may not hold. Through illustrative examples, we demonstrate that this framework encompasses a wider range of operators, offering new insights into the robustness and flexibility of iterative methods in dynamic programming.

Details

1009240
Title
Convergence Analysis of Reinforcement Learning Algorithms Using Generalized Weak Contraction Mappings
Publication title
Symmetry; Basel
Volume
17
Issue
5
First page
750
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Basel
Country of publication
Switzerland
Publication subject
e-ISSN
20738994
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
Document type
Journal Article
Publication history
 
 
Online publication date
2025-05-13
Milestone dates
2025-04-11 (Received); 2025-05-09 (Accepted)
Publication history
 
 
   First posting date
13 May 2025
ProQuest document ID
3212135975
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/convergence-analysis-reinforcement-learning/docview/3212135975/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.
Last updated
2025-05-27
Database
ProQuest One Academic