This paper presents the syntax and semantics of a simplified version of a logic-based agent-oriented programming language to implement agents with emotions. Four types of emotions are distinguished: happiness, sadness, anger and fear. These emotions are defined relative to agent’s goals and plans. The emotions result from the agent’s deliberation process and influence the deliberation process. ...

In this discussion paper we are interested in the role of argumentation in the context of cognitive BDI and BOID agents, i.e., agents whose deliberation is based on beliefs, obligations, intentions and desires. We discuss argumentation issues for single agent deliberation, multiagent dialogues, and interaction between agents and their normative system. For each category we discuss examples and ...

We contend that, with a suitably broad notion of rationality and a diverse set of motivations, the game-theoretic tradition is particularly well suited for generating insights about effects of deliberative institutions and that progress in the development of deliberative democratic theory hinges on making proper sense of the relationship between game-theoretic and normative theoretic approaches...

This paper explores how the members of an agent team can jointly deliberate on providing direct help to each other with an intended benefit to team performance. By direct help we mean assistance between teammates that is initiated by them as need arises, rather than being imposed by the general organization of the team or by a centralized decision. The deliberation starts with a request for hel...

Public deliberation is an approach policy-makers can use to tackle public policy problems that require the consideration of both values and evidence. However, there is much uncertainty about why and when to choose it rather than more familiar approaches, such as public opinion polls or expert panels. With guidance on the why and when of public deliberation, policy-makers can use it appropriatel...

By moving from a suggestive example, the paper analyzes how information flows among agents involved in a deliberation. By deliberating, agents become aware of details, draw the attention of the group to some issues, perform inferences and announce what they know. The proposed framework—which builds on the paradigm of dynamic logic— captures how, during a deliberation, information results from s...

Using the structural equation modeling method (N = 811), this study explores the structural relationships among online news consumption, political participation and social trust, with a focus on the mediating effects of online users' deliberative perceptions and news-related online interactive activities. The analysis confirms that users' perceptions of online deliberation exert a significant m...

People often base judgments on stereotypes, even when contradictory base-rate information is provided. It has been suggested this occurs because people fail to engage or complete deliberative reasoning needed to process numerical base-rate information, and instead rely on intuitive reasoning. However, recent research indicates people have some access to this base-rate information even when they...

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it is not always advantageous to engage in thorough conscious deliberation before choosing. On the basis of recent insights into the characteristics of conscious and unconscious thought, we tested the hypothesis that simple choices (such as between different towels or different sets of oven mitts) indeed produce better results after conscious thought, but that c...

This paper examines controversial claims about the merit of "unconscious thought" for making complex decisions. In four experiments, participants were presented with complex decisions and were asked to choose the best option immediately, after a period of conscious deliberation, or after a period of distraction (said to encourage "unconscious thought processes"). In all experiments the majority...