Social Emotions from the Perspective of the Computational - PDF document

Social Emotions from the Perspective of the Computational Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion � Rainer Reisenzein 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 Rainer Reisenzein 2 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE

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 , 6-20. * Reisenzein, R. (2009). Emotional experience in the computational belief-desire theory of emotion. Emotion Review, 1, 214-222 . * 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). Rainer Reisenzein 3 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE The Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion: Happiness e. g. "Schroiber wins the election" Des(p,t) Happy(p,t) Bel(p,t) New information Rainer Reisenzein 4 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE

The Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion: Surprise e. g. "Schroiber wins the election" Bel(¬ p,t-1) Surprised(p,t) Bel(p,t) New information Rainer Reisenzein 5 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE Naturalizing the Belief-Desire Theory of Emotion: A computational model Store for new ly acquired beliefs • Schroiber w ins the election. Belief-Confirmation Desire-Fulfillm ent Belief-Belief Belief-Desire Signal Signal Comparator Comparator (BBC) Belief-Disconfirm ation (BDC) Desire-Frustration Signal Signal Belief store ( preexisting beliefs) Desire store ( preexisting desires) • I will not be invited to Paul's party. • I will be invited to Paul's party. • Schroiber does not w in the election. • Schroiber w ins the election. • I won't win a million Euros in the lottery. • I win a million Euros in the lottery. • My daughter is sick. • My daughter is not sick. • John does not get what he deserves. • John gets what he deserves. • ... • ... Rainer Reisenzein 6 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE

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 cognitive- motivational theory of emotion] . In M. Iorio & R. Reisenzein (Hg.), Regel, Norm, Gesetz. Eine interdiziplinäre Bestandsaufnahme [ Rule, norm, law. An interdisciplinary survey ] (pp. 257-283). 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. Rainer Reisenzein 7 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE 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) Des( ¬ p,t) unhappy(p,t) Certain(p,t) hopes(p,t) Uncertain(p,t) Des(p,t) Des( ¬ p,t) fears(p,t) Uncertain(p,t) Bel( ¬ p,t-1) surprised(p,t) Certain(p,t) irrelevant 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 , 6-20. Rainer Reisenzein 8 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE

Quantitative Formulation of BDTE * Reisenzein, R. (2009). Emotions as metarepresentational states of mind: Naturalizing the belief-desire theory of emotion. Cognitive Systems Research , 10 , 6-20. Rainer Reisenzein 9 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE CBDTE-analysis of the fortunes-of-others emotions: Pity 5 This desire is altruistic Des(good things/ no bad 2 One is unhappy things happen about the fate of to o [ within limits] ) another, Fo Des( ¬ Fo) ist derived 4 e. g., Fo = Karl (o) loses his job (F) from a desire for o's welfare 1 Pity is a form of unhappiness Bel(Fo ist bad for o, or Des( ¬ Fo) ¬ Fo is good for o) BDC Pity(Fo) One desires ¬ Fo, 3 because one Bel(Fo) believes that Fo is bad for o e. g.: Fo frustrates a desire of o o suffers emotionally from Fo New information Fo decreases o's well-being Rainer Reisenzein 10 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE

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

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 m ental 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). Rainer Reisenzein 13 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE 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 Rainer Reisenzein 14 Social Emotions from the Perspective of CBDTE