Solution of functional difference equations from behavioral theory.
Behavioral models based on Markovian decision processes lead to functional difference equations for quantities such as the mean lifetime of the forager and the probability of reproductive success of the forager. In this paper, asymptotic and iterative methods are developed for the solution of such equations. The asymptotic methods are compared with numerical simulations. The iterative methods can be proved by a simple application of contraction mapping theorems.
D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011235:Predatory Behavior