This document discusses the need for more clarity and guidelines when modeling emotion computationally. It proposes analyzing emotion models in terms of the two core processes of emotion generation and emotion effects. Key computational tasks for implementing these processes are identified, which could provide a basis for more systematically designing, comparing, and evaluating emotion models and theories. The roles of emotions, aspects modeled, and influential appraisal theories are reviewed. More information is needed to fully specify the computational implementation of appraisal dimensions, integration of multiple emotions, and variable influences on cognition and behavior.
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What are we modeling when we model emotion
1. What Are We Modeling When
We Model Emotion?
Eva Hudlicka
Psychometrix Associates
Blacksburg, VA
hudlicka@ieee.org
AAAI Spring Symposium on
“Emotion, Personality and Social Behavior”
March 27, 2008
2. What Are We Modeling When
We Model Emotion?
aka
Emotion Modeling 101
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“Emotion Modeling”
• Lack of clarity re:
– What is modeled and how
• Lack of design guidelines re:
– Which theories to use?
– Which data?
– Which computations must be performed?
– Which representational & reasoning formalisms
are best?
– What type of architecture is best?
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Emotion Modeling Is ______
A: Emotion expression by machines
B: Emotion recognition by machines
C: Emotion generation in agents / robots
D: Emotion effects on agent / robot behavior
E: Affective user models
F: All of the above
.. And probably some others too
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Roles of Emotions
IntrapsychicIntrapsychic
InterpersonalInterpersonal
WHAT?
* Social coordination
* Rapid communication
of behavioral intent;
HOW?
Express emotions via:
-Facial expression
-Speech (content & properties)
-Gesture, Posture
-Specific actions
WHAT?
* Motivation
* Homeostasis
* Adaptive behavior
HOW?
- Emotion generation (appraisal)
- Emotion effects (processing
biases)
- Global interrupt system
- Goal management
- Prepare for coordinated actions
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How Do We Recognize an
Emotion if We See One?
• Manifested across multiple, interacting
modalities:
– Somatic / Physiological (neuroendocrine - e.g., heart rate, GSR)
– Cognitive / Interpretive (“Nothing is good or bad but thinking
makes it so…”)
– Behavioral / Motivational (action oriented, expressive, ‘visible’)
– Experiential / Subjective (“that special feeling…”, consciousness)
• Much terminological confusion can be attributed to a lack of
consideration of these multiple modalities of emotions
– e.g., Is emotion a feeling or a thought? - It’s both
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Problem
• Lack of consistency & terminological clarity
• … makes it difficult to:
• Develop systematic guidelines for model
development
• Communicate effectively about alternative
approaches
• Evaluate & compare different models & theories
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Objective:
Deconstruct ‘emotion modeling’
• View emotion models in terms of two
fundamental processes:
– Emotion generation
– Emotion effects
• Identify fundamental computational tasks
necessary to implement these
– The emotion modeling “building blocks”
• …as a step toward more systematic design,
comparison & evaluation of models
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Most Influential Appraisal Theories inMost Influential Appraisal Theories in
Computational ModelsComputational Models
•• OrtonyOrtony,, CloreClore and Collins (OCC) (1988 -and Collins (OCC) (1988 - ……))
– Detailed taxonomy of triggers and emotions
– Well-suited for computational implementation
•• LeventhalLeventhal and Scherer (1984 -and Scherer (1984 - ……))
– Domain-independent appraisal dimensions
– Appraisal as a dynamic, evolving process
– Multiple levels of resolution
•• ArnoldArnold LazarusLazarus Smith and Kirby (1960 - ..)Smith and Kirby (1960 - ..)
– Emphasis on coping
– Appraisal as a dynamic process
– Increasing emphasis on mechanisms
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What Do We Need To Know
To Build a Model
• Stimulus - to - emotion mapping…
– … for person… situation… affective state (?)
– Implemented directly or via appraisal dimensions?
• Integrating internal & external stimuli
– … remembered & imagined, seen & told…
• Distinct stages in the appraisal process
– Functions implemented in each
– Dependencies & interactions among them
• Factors influencing emotion intensity & how?
– Emotion dynamics (ramp-up & decay)
– … variations by person… situation… emotion
• Multiple emotions & conflict resolution
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Computational Tasks for
Appraisal Models
Stimuli Emotions
Emotion attributes:
- Complexity of emotion construct
* type
* intensity
* cause …
* direction
* …
Types of stimuli:
- Internal / External
- Real / Imagined
- Past / Present / Future
- Domain specific / Abstract appraisal dimensions
- Complexity of stimulus structure
- Mental constructs required
(e.g., goals, expectations)
- Stimuli-to-emotion mappings
- Intensity calculation
- Nature of mapping process:
* Stages & functions
* Degree of variability
-Integrating multiple emotions
-Emotion dynamics over time
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Emotion Effects on Cognition
• Emotion and cognition function as closely-coupled
information processing systems
• Emotions influence fundamental processes mediating
high-level cognition:
– Attention speed and capacity
– Working memory speed and capacity
– Long-term memory recall and encoding
• Influences on processing & contents and structure
– Transient biases influence processing
– Long-term biases result in differences in long-term memory
content & structure
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Examples of Affective Biases
• Anxiety
– Narrows attentional focus
– Bias toward detection of threatening stimuli
– Bias toward interpretation of ambiguous stimuli as threats
– Promotes self-focus
• Anger
– Increases risk tolerance
– Bias toward impulsive action
– Bias toward attribution of hostile intent in others
• Positive emotions
– Increase estimates of degree of control
– Overestimate of likelihood of positive events
– Focus on “big picture”
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Theories
• Fewer theories exist than for appraisal
• Specific mechanisms of emotion effects not as well
developed
• Some available theories:
– Spreading activation & priming (Bower, 1984; Derryberry, 1988)
• “Network theory of Affect”
– Distinct modes of processing associated with different
emotions (Oatley & Johnson-Laird, 1987)
– Emotions as patterns of parameters modulating processing
(Fellous, Matthews, Ortony et al., Hudlicka, Ritter…)
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Modeling Threat Bias
TRAITS /
STATES
COGNITIVE
ARCHITECTURE
PARAMETERS
COGNITIVE ARCHITECTURE
Attention
Action
Selection
Situation
Assessment
Goal
Manager
Expectation
Generator
Affect
Appraiser
Emotions
Higher
Anxiety / Fear
Predisposes towards
Processing
Parameters
Module &
Construct parms.
-Cue selection
- Interpretive biases
...
Preferential processing of
Threatening stimuli
Threat constructs
Rated more highly
Process
Threat
cues
Process
Threatening
interpretations
Traits
Low Stability
MAMIDMAMID
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What Do We Need To Know
To Build a Model
• Emotion - to - effects mapping
– Which cognitive processes & structures affected… & how
– How are contents & organization of LTM affected
– How are cognitive appraisal processes affected
• Relationship between emotion & mood intensity and
type & magnitude of influence
– Can distinct intensities have qualitatively distinct influences?
• What are the mediating variables of the effects?
– Emotions OR individual appraisal dimensions
(Lerner & Tiedens, 2006)?
• Multiple emotions & conflict resolution
– How & where are multiple emotions integrated?
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Computational Tasks forComputational Tasks for
Modeling Emotion EffectsModeling Emotion Effects
Emotion(s)Emotion(s)
--CognitionCognition Attention, perception, memory,
learning, problem-solving, decision-making…)
-Behavior Verbal, non-verbal, action selection
…… & other affective& other affective
factors:factors:
- Affective States
- Moods
- Traits
Effect(s)Effect(s)
- Emotion-to-behavior mappings
- Emotion-to-processes & structures mappings
- Variability in effects (by intensity, by individual…)
- Integration of multiple emotions
- Similar vs. opposing
- In cognition.. in behavior ..where?
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Ideally, theories would exactly specifyIdeally, theories would exactly specify
all computational tasksall computational tasks
.. and provide.. and provide necessary details fornecessary details for
their implementationtheir implementation
•• In practice, that is rarely the caseIn practice, that is rarely the case
•• The act of constructing a computational modelThe act of constructing a computational model
typically helpstypically helps define & refine thesedefine & refine these detailsdetails
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Related Work
• Lot of people have been thinking about
emotion model design
– Sloman
– Ortony
– Canamero
– Velasquez
– Scheutz
– Lisetti
– Reilly
– …
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Summary
• Analyze emotion models in terms of two categories
of processes:
– Emotion generation
– Emotion effects
• Identify associated computational tasks
• See if these “building blocks” provide basis for:
– More systematic design of emotion models
– Comparison & evaluation of existing models & modeling
alternatives
– Comparison & evaluation of existing theories
• (Focus on cognitive modality of emotions)
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Parting Thought
“Anyone can model emotions. That is easy.
But to model emotions
in the right context
to the right degree
at the right time
for the right reason, and
in the right way
this is not easy.”
Paraphrasing “On anger”, Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics
38. What Are We Modeling When
We Model Emotion?
Eva Hudlicka
Psychometrix Associates
Blacksburg, VA
hudlicka@ieee.org
AAAI Spring Symposium on
“Emotion, Personality and Social Behavior”
March 27, 2008
