Character computing

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Character computing is a trans-disciplinary field of research at the intersection of computer science and psychology. [1] It is any computing that incorporates the human character within its context. Character is defined as all features or characteristics defining an individual and guiding their behavior in a specific situation. It consists of stable trait markers (e.g., personality, background, history, socio-economic embeddings, culture,...) and variable state markers (emotions, health, cognitive state, ...). Character computing aims at providing a holistic psychologically driven model of human behavior. [2] It models and predicts behavior based on the relationships between a situation and character. Three main research modules fall under the umbrella of character computing: character sensing and profiling, character-aware adaptive systems, and artificial characters.

Contents

Overview

Character computing can be viewed as an extension [3] of the well-established field of affective computing. Based on the foundations of the different psychology branches, it advocates defining behavior as a compound attribute that is not driven by either personality, emotions, situation or cognition alone. It rather defines behavior as a function of everything that makes up an individual i.e., their character and the situation they are in. Affective computing aims at allowing machines to understand and translate the non-verbal cues of individuals into affect. Accordingly, character computing aims at understanding the character attributes of an individual and the situation to translate it to predicted behavior, and vice versa.

''In practical terms, depending on the application context, character computing is a branch of research that deals with the design of systems and interfaces that can observe, sense, predict, adapt to, affect, understand, or simulate the following: character based on behavior and situation, behavior based on character and situation, or situation based on character and behavior.'' [4] The Character-Behavior-Situation (CBS) triad is at the core of character computing and defines each of the three edges based on the other two.

Character computing relies on simultaneous development from a computational and psychological perspective and is intended to be used by researchers in both fields. Its main concept is aligning the computational model of character computing with empirical results from in-lab and in-the-wild psychology experiments. The model is to be continuously built and validated through the emergence of new data. Similar to affective and personality computing, the model is to be used as a base for different applications towards improving user experience. [5]

History

Character computing as such was first coined in its first workshop in 2017. [6] Since then it has had 3 international workshops [7] and numerous publications. Despite its young age, it has already drawn some interest in the research community, leading to the publication of the first book [8] under the same title in early 2020 published by Springer Nature.

Research that can be categorized under the field dates much older than 2017. The notion of combining several factors towards the explanation of behavior or traits and states has long been investigated in both Psychology and Computer Science, for example. [9]

Character

The word character originates from the Greek word meaning “stamping tool”, [10] referring to distinctive features and traits. Over the years it has been given many different connotations, like the moral character in philosophy, the temperament in psychology, a person in literature or an avatar in various virtual worlds, including video games. According to character computing character is a unification of all the previous definitions, by referring back to the original meaning of the word. [1] Character is defined as the holistic concept representing all interacting trait and state markers that distinguish an individual. Traits are characteristics that mainly remain stable over time. Traits include personality, affect, socio-demographics, and general health. States are characteristics that vary in short periods of time. They include emotions, well-being, health, cognitive state. Each characteristic has many representation methods and psychological models. The different models can be combined or one model can be preset for each characteristic. This depends on the use-case and the design choices.

Areas

Research into character computing can be divided into three areas, which complement each other but can each be investigated separately. The first area is sensing and predicting character states and traits or ensuing behavior. [11] The second area is adapting applications to certain character states or traits and the behavior they predict. It also deals with trying to change or monitor such behavior. [12] The final area deals with creating artificial agents e.g., chatbots or virtual reality avatars that exhibit certain characteristics. [13] [14]

The three areas are investigated separately and build on existing findings in the literature. The results of each of the three areas can also be used as a stepping stone for the next area. Each of the three areas has already been investigated on its own in different research fields with focus on different subsets of character. For example, affective computing and personality computing both cover different areas with a focus on some character components without the others to account for human behavior. [4]

The Character-Behavior-Situation triad

Character computing is based on a holistic psychologically driven model of human behavior. Human behavior is modeled and predicted based on the relationships between a situation and a human's character. To further define character in a more formal or holistic manner, we represent it in light of the Character–Behavior–Situation triad. This highlights that character not only determines who we are but how we are, i.e., how we behave. The triad investigated in Personality Psychology [15] is extended through character computing to the Character–Behavior–Situation triad. Any member of the CBS triad is a function of the two other members, e.g., given the situation and personality, the behavior can be predicted. Each of the components in the triad can be further decomposed into smaller units and features that may best represent the human's behavior or character in a particular situation. Character is thus behind a person's behavior in any given situation. While this is a causality relation, the correlation between the three components is often more easily used to predict the components that are most difficult to measure from those measured more easily. There are infinitely many components to include in the representation of any of C, B, and S. The challenge is always to choose the smallest subset needed for prediction of a person's behavior in a particular situation. [4]

Related Research Articles

Personality is any person's or individual's collection of interrelated behavioral, cognitive and emotional patterns that biological and environmental factors influence; these interrelated patterns are relatively stable over long time periods, but they change over the entire lifetime. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, most theories focus on motivation and psychological interactions with the environment one is surrounded by. Trait-based personality theories, such as those defined by Raymond Cattell, define personality as traits that predict an individual's behavior. On the other hand, more behaviorally-based approaches define personality through learning and habits. Nevertheless, most theories view personality as relatively stable.

Conscientiousness is the personality trait of being careful or diligent. Conscientiousness implies a desire to do a task well, and to take obligations to others seriously. Conscientious people tend to be efficient and organized as opposed to easy-going and disorderly. They tend to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; they display planned rather than spontaneous behavior; and they are generally dependable. Conscientiousness manifests in characteristic behaviors such as being neat, systematic, careful, thorough, and deliberate.

Affective design describes the design of user interfaces in which emotional information is communicated to the computer from the user in a natural and comfortable way. The computer processes the emotional information and adapts or responds to try to improve the interaction in some way. The notion of affective design emerged from the field of human–computer interaction (HCI), specifically from the developing area of affective computing. Affective design serves an important role in user experience (UX) as it contributes to the improvement of the user's personal condition in relation to the computing system. The goals of affective design focus on providing users with an optimal, proactive experience. Amongst overlap with several fields, applications of affective design include ambient intelligence, human–robot interaction, and video games.

In psychology, personality type refers to the psychological classification of different types of individuals. Personality types are sometimes distinguished from personality traits, with the latter embodying a smaller grouping of behavioral tendencies. Types are sometimes said to involve qualitative differences between people, whereas traits might be construed as quantitative differences. According to type theories, for example, introverts and extraverts are two fundamentally different categories of people. According to trait theories, introversion and extraversion are part of a continuous dimension, with many people in the middle. In contrast to personality traits, the existence of personality types remains extremely controversial.

Agreeableness is a personality trait that manifests as behavior that is perceived as kind, sympathetic, cooperative, warm, frank, and considerate. In contemporary personality psychology, agreeableness is one of the five major dimensions of personality structure, reflecting individual differences in cooperation and social harmony.

Social perception is the study of how people form impressions of and make inferences about other people as sovereign personalities. Social perception refers to identifying and utilizing social cues to make judgments about social roles, rules, relationships, context, or the characteristics of others. This domain also includes social knowledge, which refers to one's knowledge of social roles, norms, and schemas surrounding social situations and interactions. People learn about others' feelings and emotions by picking up information they gather from physical appearance, verbal, and nonverbal communication. Facial expressions, tone of voice, hand gestures, and body position or movement are a few examples of ways people communicate without words. A real-world example of social perception is understanding that others disagree with what one said when one sees them roll their eyes. There are four main components of social perception: observation, attribution, integration, and confirmation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark triad</span> Offensive personality types

The dark triad is a psychological theory of personality, first published by Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002, that describes three notably offensive, but non-pathological personality types: Machiavellianism, sub-clinical narcissism, and sub-clinical psychopathy. Each of these personality types is called dark because each is considered to contain malevolent qualities.

Impression formation in social psychology refers to the processes by which different pieces of knowledge about another are combined into a global or summary impression. Social psychologist Solomon Asch is credited with the seminal research on impression formation and conducted research on how individuals integrate information about personality traits. Two major theories have been proposed to explain how this process of integration takes place. The Gestalt approach views the formation of a general impression as the sum of several interrelated impressions. As an individual seeks to form a coherent and meaningful impression of another individual, previous impressions significantly influence the interpretation of subsequent information. In contrast to the Gestalt approach, the cognitive algebra approach asserts that individuals' experiences are combined with previous evaluations to form a constantly changing impression of a person. A related area to impression formation is the study of person perception, making dispositional attributions, and then adjusting those inferences based on the information available.

In psychology, grandiosity is a sense of superiority, uniqueness, or invulnerability that is unrealistic and not based on personal capability. It may be expressed by exaggerated beliefs regarding one's abilities, the belief that few other people have anything in common with oneself, and that one can only be understood by a few, very special people. The personality trait of grandiosity is principally associated with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), but also is a feature in the occurrence and expression of antisocial personality disorder, and the manic and hypomanic episodes of bipolar disorder.

Asociality refers to the lack of motivation to engage in social interaction, or a preference for solitary activities. Asociality may be associated with avolition, but it can, moreover, be a manifestation of limited opportunities for social relationships. Developmental psychologists use the synonyms nonsocial, unsocial, and social uninterest. Asociality is distinct from, but not mutually exclusive to, anti-social behavior. A degree of asociality is routinely observed in introverts, while extreme asociality is observed in people with a variety of clinical conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extraversion and introversion</span> Personality trait

The traits of extraversion and introversion are a central dimension in some human personality theories. The terms introversion and extraversion were introduced into psychology by Carl Jung, although both the popular understanding and current psychological usage vary. Extraversion tends to be manifested in outgoing, talkative, energetic behavior, whereas introversion is manifested in more reflective and reserved behavior. Jung defined introversion as an "attitude-type characterised by orientation in life through subjective psychic contents", and extraversion as "an attitude-type characterised by concentration of interest on the external object".

In psychology, manipulation is defined as subterfuge designed to influence or control another, usually in a manner which facilitates one's personal aims. The methods used distort or orient the interlocutor's perception of reality, in particular through seduction, suggestion, persuasion and non-voluntary or consensual submission. Definitions for the term vary in which behavior is specifically included, influenced by both culture and whether referring to the general population or used in clinical contexts. Manipulation is generally considered a dishonest form of social influence as it is used at the expense of others.

Situational strength is defined as cues provided by environmental forces regarding the desirability of potential behaviors. Situational strength is said to result in psychological pressure on the individual to engage in and/or refrain from particular behaviors. A consequence of this psychological pressure to act in a certain way is the likelihood that despite an individual's personality, they will act in a certain manner. As such, when strong situations exist, the relationship between personality variables and behaviors is reduced, because no matter what the personality of the individual is, they will act in a way dictated by the situation. When weak situations exist, there is less structure and more ambiguity with respect to what behaviors to perform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HEXACO model of personality structure</span> Six-dimensional model of human personality

The HEXACO model of personality structure is a six-dimensional model of human personality that was created by Ashton and Lee and explained in their book, The H Factor of Personality, based on findings from a series of lexical studies involving several European and Asian languages. The six factors, or dimensions, include Honesty-Humility (H), Emotionality (E), Extraversion (X), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), and Openness to Experience (O). Each factor is composed of traits with characteristics indicating high and low levels of the factor. The HEXACO model was developed through similar methods as other trait taxonomies and builds on the work of Costa and McCrae and Goldberg. The model, therefore, shares several common elements with other trait models. However, the HEXACO model is unique mainly due to the addition of the Honesty-Humility dimension.

Callous-unemotional traits (CU) are distinguished by a persistent pattern of behavior that reflects a disregard for others, and also a lack of empathy and generally deficient affect. The interplay between genetic and environmental risk factors may play a role in the expression of these traits as a conduct disorder (CD). While originally conceived as a means of measuring the affective features of psychopathy in children, measures of CU have been validated in university samples and adults.

Personality theories of addiction are psychological models that associate personality traits or modes of thinking with an individual's proclivity for developing an addiction. Models of addiction risk that have been proposed in psychology literature include an affect dysregulation model of positive and negative psychological affects, the reinforcement sensitivity theory model of impulsiveness and behavioral inhibition, and an impulsivity model of reward sensitization and impulsiveness.

Personality computing is a research field related to artificial intelligence and personality psychology that studies personality by means of computational techniques from different sources, including text, multimedia and social networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Machiavellianism (psychology)</span> Psychological trait

In the field of personality psychology, Machiavellianism is a personality trait characterized by interpersonal manipulation, indifference to morality, lack of empathy, and a strategic focus on self-interest. Psychologists Richard Christie and Florence Geis named the trait after Niccolò Machiavelli, as they used edited and truncated statements inspired by his works to study variations in human behaviors. Their Mach IV test, a 20-question, Likert-scale personality survey, became the standard self-assessment tool and scale of the Machiavellianism construct. Those who score high on the scale are more likely to have a high level of deceitfulness and a cynical, unemotional temperament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EmojiGrid</span> Affective self-report tool

The EmojiGrid is an affective self-report tool consisting of a rectangular grid that is labelled with emojis. It is trademark of Kikkoman. The facial expressions of the emoji labels vary from disliking via neutral to liking along the x-axis, and gradually increase in intensity along the y-axis. To report their affective appraisal of a given stimulus, users mark the location inside the grid that best represents their impression. The EmojiGrid can either be used as a paper or computer-based response tool. The images needed to implement the EmojiGrid are freely available from the OSF repository.

References

  1. 1 2 El Bolock, Alia (2020), "What Is Character Computing?", Character Computing, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–16, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_1, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   213266279
  2. ↑ Herbert, Cornelia (2020), "An Experimental-Psychological Approach for the Development of Character Computing", Character Computing, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 17–38, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_2, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   213924548
  3. ↑ Reichardt, Dirk (2020), "Affective Computing Needs Personalization—And a Character?", Character Computing, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 87–98, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_6, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   213556617
  4. 1 2 3 El Bolock, Alia; Abdennadher, Slim; Herbert, Cornelia (2020), "Applications of Character Computing From Psychology to Computer Science", Character Computing, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 53–71, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_4, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   214479585
  5. ↑ Herbert, Cornelia; El Bolock, Alia; Abdennadher, Slim (2020), "A Psychologically Driven, User-Centered Approach to Character Modeling", Character Computing, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 39–51, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_3, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   214091938
  6. ↑ Bolock, Alia El; Salah, Jailan; Abdennadher, Slim; Abdelrahman, Yomna (2017). "Character computing". Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia. New York, New York, USA: ACM Press. pp. 555–559. doi:10.1145/3152832.3152860. ISBN   978-1-4503-5378-6. S2CID   41785222.
  7. ↑ El Bolock, Alia; Salah, Jailan; Abdelrahman, Yomna; Herbert, Cornelia; Abdennadher, Slim (2018). "Character Computing". Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia. New York, New York, USA: ACM Press. pp. 557–562. doi:10.1145/3282894.3286060. ISBN   978-1-4503-6594-9. S2CID   54457112.
  8. ↑ El Bolock, Alia, editor. Abdelrahman, Yomna, editor. Abdennadher, Slim, 1967- editor. (2 January 2020). Character computing. Springer. ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5. OCLC   1088347720.{{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ Abaalkhail, Rana; Guthier, Benjamin; Alharthi, Rajwa; El Saddik, Abdulmotaleb (2018-06-29). "Survey on ontologies for affective states and their influences" (PDF). Semantic Web. 9 (4): 441–458. doi:10.3233/sw-170270. ISSN   2210-4968. S2CID   44469154.
  10. ↑ "Definition of CHARACTER". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  11. ↑ Abdelrahman, Yomna (2020), "Character Computing and HCI", Character Computing, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 73–85, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_5, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   213600707
  12. ↑ El Mougy, Amr (2020), "Character-IoT (CIoT): Toward Human-Centered Ubiquitous Computing", Character Computing, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 99–121, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_7, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   212941466
  13. ↑ Braun, Michael; Alt, Florian (2020), "Identifying Personality Dimensions for Characters of Digital Agents", Character Computing, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 123–137, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_8, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   210172417
  14. ↑ Ismail, Haythem O. (2020), "The Good, the Bad, and the Rational: Aspects of Character in Logical Agents", Character Computing, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 139–164, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15954-2_9, ISBN   978-3-030-15953-5, S2CID   214417218
  15. ↑ Corr, Philip J. Matthews, Gerald. (2009). The Cambridge Handbook of Personality Psychology. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-511-59654-4. OCLC   939842165.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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