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 here shown 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 (Michael E. Bratman, 1 januari 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 A Probabilistic Approach to Represent Emotions Intensity into BDI Agents (João Carlos Gluz and Patricia Jaques, 1 januari 2015)).

The BDI elements are defined as follows (see 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).

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 Rubert Plutchik’s wheel of emotion) and mental condition (see for instance Mental well-being and A Factor Structure of Wellness: Theory, Assessment, Analysis, and Practice). Emotions and mental condition are modeled as conditions.

Figure: relations between intention, mental condition and emotions.

The human activities such as planning and carrying out a plan has its effects on a person’s emotions and mental condition, and the other way round. If life is running smoothly, then your activities have a neutral or positive effect on your emotions and mental condition stimulating subsequent activities. You might even be drawn in a positive reinforcing loop, also known as flow. But this is the sunny side of life. In case life is not going well, reflected in negative emotions and mental condition, you might enter a negative reinforcing loop in which everything you do or refrain from doing only worsen your state. You are then in the need of help to perhaps change your self-image and behavior. In the sections on change, it has been shown how change can be induced by changing environmental conditions. These patterns of change can also be applied in this context. For instance, you can be supported by others in order to bring your planning and other activities to a good end. Or even stronger, with the help of others, your reason of being (P-R) might be changed in order to take away false beliefs about yourself.

The emotion and mental condition theories used in the human cognitive and behavior model serve as an example of how emotions and mental condition can be incorporated in the model. These theories are certainly not prescribed but should be seen as a source of inspiration. Other theories can be incorporated, and the structure of the human cognition and behavior model is open for adaptation as well to better fit the application at hand.























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