I. CBDTE: A computational model of the belief-desire theory of emotion*

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1 Social Emotions from the Perspective of the Computational Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion Institute of Psychology General Psychology II Contribution to Workshop "The cognitive foundations of group attitudes and social interaction" Toulouse, May 31 - June 1, 2012 Overview CBDTE: A Computational model of the Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion Causes and nature of the social emotions from the perspective of CBDTE Evolutionary functions of the social emotions from the perspective of CBDTE 2

2 I. CBDTE: A computational model of the belief-desire theory of emotion* *Reisenzein, R. (2009). Emotions as metarepresentational states of mind: Naturalizing the belief-desire theory of emotion. Cognitive Systems Research, 10, *Reisenzein, R. (2009). Emotional experience in the computational belief-desire theory of emotion. Emotion Review, 1, *Reisenzein, R. (2012). What is an emotion in the Belief-Desire Theory of emotion? In F. Paglieri, L. Tummolini, R. Falcone & M. Miceli (Eds.), The goals of cognition: Essays in honor of Cristiano Castelfranchi. London: College Publications (in press). 3 The Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion: Happiness Des(p,t) e. g. "Schroiber wins the election" Happy(p,t) Bel(p,t) New information 4

3 The Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion: Surprise Bel( p,t-1) e. g. "Schroiber wins the election" Surprised(p,t) Bel(p,t) New information 5 Naturalizing the Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion: A computational model Store for newly acquired beliefs Schroiber wins the election. Belief-Belief Comparator (BBC) Belief-Confirmation Signal Belief-Disconfirmation Signal Belief-Desire Comparator (BDC) Desire-Fulfillment Signal Desire-Frustration Signal Belief store (preexisting beliefs) I will not be invited to Paul's party. Schroiber does not win the election. I won't win a million Euros in the lottery. My daughter is sick. John does not get what he deserves.... Desire store (preexisting desires) I will be invited to Paul's party. Schroiber wins the election. I win a million Euros in the lottery. My daughter is not sick. John gets what he deserves.... 6

4 II. Social emotions from the perspective of CBDTE* *Reisenzein, R. (2010). Moralische Gefühle aus der Sicht der kognitiv-motivationalen Theorie der Emotion [Moral emotions from the perspective of the cognitivemotivational theory of emotion]. In M. Iorio & R. Reisenzein (Hg.), Regel, Norm, Gesetz. Eine interdiziplinäre Bestandsaufnahme [Rule, norm, law. An interdisciplinary survey] (pp ). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. * Reisenzein, R. & Junge, M. (2012). Language and emotion from the perspective of the computational belief-desire theory of emotion. In P. A. Wilson (Ed.) Dynamicity in emotion concepts (Lodz Studies in Language, 27, 37-59). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. 7 Belief-Desire analysis of some emotions* Emotion IF Belief at t Desire at (up to) t Belief at t-1 happy(p,t) Certain(p,t) Des(p,t) unhappy(p,t) Certain(p,t) Des( p,t) hopes(p,t) Uncertain(p,t) Des(p,t) fears(p,t) Uncertain(p,t) Des( p,t) surprised(p,t) Certain(p,t) irrelevant Bel( p,t-1) disappointed( p,t) Certain( p,t) Des(p,t) Bel(p,t-1) relieved( p,t) Certain( p,t) Des( p,t-1) Bel(p,t-1) Notation: Bel(p,t)...believes p at t Certain(p,t)...firmly believes p at t Uncertain(p,t) iff Bel(p,t) & Certain(p,t) & Certain ( p,t) Des(p,t)...desires p at t Des( p,t)...desires not-p at t ( is aversive against p) *Reisenzein, R. (2009). Emotions as metarepresentational states of mind: Naturalizing the belief-desire theory of emotion. Cognitive Systems Research, 10,

5 Quantitative Formulation of BDTE *Reisenzein, R. (2009). Emotions as metarepresentational states of mind: Naturalizing the belief-desire theory of emotion. Cognitive Systems Research, 10, CBDTE-analysis of the fortunes-of-others emotions: Pity 5 This desire is altruistic Des(good things/no bad things happen to o [within limits]) 4 Des( Fo) ist derived from a desire for o's welfare Bel(Fo ist bad for o, or Fo is good for o) Des( Fo) 2 One is unhappy about the fate of another, Fo e. g., Fo = Karl (o) loses his job (F) 1 Pity is a form of unhappiness 3 One desires Fo, because one believes that Fo is bad for o Bel(Fo) BDC Pity(Fo) e. g.: Fo frustrates a desire of o o suffers emotionally from Fo Fo decreases o's well-being New information 10

6 Pity requires an altruistic desire: data from an internet study 8 7 Type of relationship, F(2, 100) = 31.5, p <.01, Egoistic consequences, F(2, 100) < 1; Interaction: ns. 6 Mean Mittelwert of Pity Mitleid for the other Freund Neutral Feind Friend Acquaintance Enemy Type of interpersonal relationship Beziehungstyp positive neutral negative positiv neutral negativ 11 CBDTE-analysis of the norm-based emotions: Guilt Des(obey the commandments of P) 5 Bel(in S, actions of type A are forbidden for agents of type T by P) Desire to obey P's commandments is not egoistic 4 Desire to obey behavioral rule is derived from desire to obey P's commandments (= Norm internalization) 2 One is unhappy about an own action Des(in S, agents of type T do not perform actions of type A) e. g. Aa = Maria (a) lied-toher-friend-berta (A) Bel(a is in situation S and a is an agent of type T) Des( Aa) 1 Guilt is a form of unhappiness 3 Des( Aa) is derived from the desire to obey a behavioral rule Bel(Aa) BDC Guilt(Aa) New information 12

7 Pity and guilt: Distinctive hedonic qualities? Do pity and guilt distinct have a distinctive hedonic quality? Are the separate forms of displeasure feelings? Introspection suggests 'yes' to me An argument from self-knowledge of emotions: Assume CBDTE analysis of pity is correct. Assume we infer emotions from their cognitive and motivational context. Then to know that we feel pity, we must infer that we experience mental pain caused by the frustration of an altruistic desire implausible Alternative: The displeasure of pity feels in a special, distinctive way. That's how we know what we feel pity (with some experience). 13 Evolutionary functions of the social emotions I Organismic (system-internal) evolutionary functions of emotions: emotions signal congruence or incongruence between newly acquired beliefs and existing beliefs or desires globally prepare the cognitive system (or agent) to deal with belief-desire (mis)matches Hedonic mechanism acts as a motivational support system Creates an auxiliary desire to reduce or abolish the displeasure caused by a threat to, or a frustration of, the primary desire hedonistic desire reinforces the primary desire even though it is blind to the aim of the primary desire 14

8 Evolutionary functions of the social emotions II A social-communicative function? Verbal or nonverbal communication of emotion informs other agents about the occurrence of a belief-belief or belief-desire match or mismatch in the agent Alerts other agents to two changes: The agent acquired a new belief that matched or mismatched a pre-existing belief or desire Something may have occurred in the world that caused at least this agent to experience a belief-belief or belief-desire match or mismatch. This information is useful for other agents: Allows them to update their mental model of the emotion experiencer, or of the environment, and thereby better adapt to either. 15 Evolutionary functions of social emotions II What are the advantages for the communicator? Communicating emotion increases the agent's predicability and exploitability by others, and gives away useful information for free readiness to (truthfully) communicate emotions is a form of biological altruisim possible evolutionary: kin selection, reciprocal altruism, group selection (Richerson & Boyd, 2005), costly signalling (Desalles, 2007) My proposal for the social emotions: group selection Groups in which social emotions are truthfully communicated are at an advantage over groups in they are hidden or faked. involuntary signals of social (and possibly other) emotions may have been selected as truthful signs of other s group-centered concerns: Their altruistic concern for others, and their true caring for the obeyance of social norms. 16

9 Thank you for your attention! Institute of Psychology General Psychologie II