Extending the Human Cognition and Behavior Model

Human cognition and behavior is modeled in EMont in the form of the recursive appliance of SSM’s PQR formula. This conception owes much to the Memory-Prediction Framework (MPF) that gives an explanation of how behavior is steered by patterns with which a human predicts future events based on past experiences. This gives a powerful model to capture expertise to pursue shared goals collectively. However, it is a rather rational model in the sense that human traits are not taken into account. In particular, the model lacks notions of desires, intentions, emotions, mental conditions and (self-)reflection.

In some applications, the aforementioned human traits are important. Especially when vulnerable persons are in need of support of their close family, friends, and colleagues. It is shown here how the EMont modeling elements can be utilized to extend the human cognition and behavior model. It is an example of using EMont as a foundational ontology for implementing a richer human cognition and behavior model.

The Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) model is used for this purpose. BDI is certainly not the only model. Examples of other models include SOAR, ACT, and CLARION. However, BDI is favored because the concepts are in line with EMont elements.

The BDI model is a software model for implementing autonomously operating agents (humans, organizations, etc.) implementing Michael Bratman's theory of human practical reasoning (cite{Intention, Plans, and Practical Reason, Michael E. Bratman, CSLI Publications, 1999}). It is a rational model in the sense that an agent chooses actions to be performed that are in its own interests in relation with beliefs about the world. An important asset of the BDI model are intentions. An intention is not just a desire but something an agent is committed to deeply and willing to pursue tenaciously. The BDI model has been extended with emotions, which influences the making of rational decisions (see for example cite{A Probabilistic Approach to Represent Emotions Intensity into BDI Agents,  João Carlos Gluz and Patricia Jaques, International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence, ember 2015}).

The BDI elements are defined as follows (cite{Wikipedia BDI software model}}:

  • Beliefs: Beliefs represent the informational state of the agent, in other words its beliefs about the world (including itself and other agents).
  • Desires: Desires represent the motivational state of the agent. They represent objectives or situations that the agent would like to accomplish or bring about. Examples of desires might be: find the best price, go to the party or become rich.
    • Goals: A goal is a desire that has been adopted for active pursuit by the agent.
  • Intentions: Intentions represent the deliberative state of the agent – what the agent has chosen to do. Intentions are desires to which the agent has to some extent committed. In implemented systems, this means the agent has begun executing a plan.
    • Plans: Plans are sequences of actions (recipes or knowledge areas) that an agent can perform to achieve one or more of its intentions. Plans may include other plans: my plan to go for a drive may include a plan to find my car keys.
  • Events: These are triggers for reactive activity by the agent. An event may update beliefs, trigger plans or modify goals.

The BDI elements belief, desire, goal, intention, plan, and event are mapped straightforwardly to EMont elements as is shown in the EMont model below. The elements are structured according to a Plan-Do-Check-Act/Adjust (PDCA) cycle (see also SSM purposeful activity model). The event/trigger is modeled as a condition. In …, an executable model of EMont is given that describes how EMont models can be simulated. To give an idea, a condition triggers one or more activities, which on their might trigger conditions, and so on.

Figure: model of BDI elements.

This is the basic scheme of the BDI human cognition and behavior model, which can be refined and adapted in many ways. One interesting way is to include emotions (see Wikipedia: Rubert Plutchik’s wheel of emotion) and mental condition (see for instance Mental well-being at Wikipedia and the article A Factor Structure of Wellness: Theory, Assessment, Analysis, and Practice). Again, these are modeled as conditions.

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