Modeling the Interplay of Emotions and Plans in Multi-Agent Simulations

The goal of this research is to create general computational models of the interplay between affect, cognition and behavior. These models are being designed to support characters that act in virtual environments, make decisions, but whose behavior also suggests an underlying emotional current. We attempt to capture both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of emotion, circumscribed to the role emotions play in the performance of concrete physical tasks. We address how emotions arise from an evaluation of the relationship between environmental events and an agent’s plans and goals, as well as the impact of emotions on behavior, in particular the impact on the physical expressions of emotional state through suitable choice of gestures and body language. The approach is illustrated within a virtual reality training environment.