A simple logical framework for emotional agents
Résumé
In the study of autonomous agents, emotional aspects have received more and more attention recently, due to various applications such as video games, interactive computer-aided learning, or virtual training environments. The theoretical basis of such approaches are various works in cognitive neuroscience, where the essential role of emotions in reasoning is established by now. In contrast, while frameworks such as logics of belief, desire, and intention (BDI logics) aim at the formalization of “rational agents”, only very few of them integrate emotional aspects. In this paper, based on work in psychology by Lazarus and its formalization by Ortony et al., we characterize some emotions in a BDI modal logic. More precisely we focus on how these emotions are triggered. We then apply this formalization to a short dialogue example where emotions are triggered by the performance of speech acts.