Author:
César F. Pimentel
Affiliation:
INESC-ID and Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
Keyword(s):
Affective Computing, Multi-agent Interactions, Emotions, Anger, Gratitude.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Agent Models and Architectures
;
Agents
;
Artificial Intelligence
;
Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support Systems
;
Cooperation and Coordination
;
Distributed and Mobile Software Systems
;
Enterprise Information Systems
;
Knowledge Engineering and Ontology Development
;
Knowledge-Based Systems
;
Multi-Agent Systems
;
Software Engineering
;
Symbolic Systems
Abstract:
Interactions among self-interested agents present classical challenges concerning cooperation and competitiveness. Cooperative behavior may be unappealing if unilateral cooperation represents a loss, and adverse behavior may be difficult to avoid if one agent’s losses imply another agent’s gains. Agents could benefit from mechanisms that promote cooperation and dissuade adverse behaviors. We propose a generic approach, where such mechanisms can emerge from the simulation of affective behaviors that are associated with the human emotions of gratitude and anger. These emotions define implicit contracts about predefined patterns of behavior that agents are capable of following, and recognizing in each other. We use a few examples to illustrate how this approach can help an agent persuade another to cooperate and become an ally, or dissuade it from adopting adverse behavior, as a result of rational decisions.