# Emotion: Appraisal-Coping Model For The "Cascades" Problem

Karim Mahboub( 1 ), Evelyne Clément( 2 ), Cyrille Bertelle( 1 ) & Véronique Jay( 1 )
(1)LITIS Laboratory, University of Le Havre 25, rue Philippe Lebon, BP 540 76058 Le Havre Cedex, France Karim. Mahboub@litislab.eu Cyrille.Bertelle@litislab.eu Veronique. Jay@litislab.eu
(2)Psy.CO Laboratory, University of Rouen Rue Lavoisier 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France Evelyne. Clement@univ-rouen.fr

## Abstract

arXiv:0911.2405v1 [cs.AI] 12 Nov 2009 Mo delling emotion has become a challenge nowadays.

Therefore, several models have been produced in order to express human emotional activity. However, only a few of them are currently able to express the close relationship existing between emotion and cognition. An appraisal-coping model is presented here, with the aim to simulate the emotional impact caused by the evaluation of a particular situation (appraisal), along with the consequent cognitive reaction intended to face the situation (coping). This model is applied to the "Cascades" problem, a small arithmetical exercice designed for ten-year-old pupils. The goal is to create a model corresponding to a child's behaviour when solving the problem using his own strategies.

Keywords:
emotion modelling, decision making, appraisal-coping model

## Introduction

As the study of emotion is becoming crucial today, in several fields of study such as neurology or psychology, computer science is getting more and more involved in the process of finding new models for representing emo¬
Since the middle of the 19th century, psycholtions.

ogists, biologists, but also neurologists have tried to produce models designed to unravel the emotional pro¬
Scientists like Bechara and Damasio [3] have cs.

even proved that human emotional activity has an indispensable impact on decision making.

The aim of this article is to globally draw the picture of the latest models of emotion in computer science, starting from a psychologist point of view. The appraisalcoping model will be presented more precisely, as well as an existing application example. Afterwards, we will present a small toy problem illustrating a decision making problem, using the appraisal-coping strategy. Eventually, a small conclusion will introduce future aspects to be developped and other prospects.

## State Of The Art

From the most recent approaches of emotion modelling, two major cognitive types of research models have been developed: hierarchical and componential models (see Baudic & Duchamp, 2006 [1]).

According to the hierarchical approach, emotions have their origin from early stages of development. Indeed, emotions are hierarchically organised with numerous discrete emotions at a basic level and emotional dimensions at a higher level. Fundamental emotions like thirst or fear are elements intended to build more sophisticated emotions, ending up with very complex feelings such as jealousy or pride [7]. Emotions at the basic level have an important adaptive function and are directly linked to the body stimuli and effectors.

In componential models, emotions have qualitatively different facets [23]. The so-called "emotional response triad" is composed of the three main components for the emotion production: subjective experience, peripheral physiological responses and motor expression, to which some theorists include two other components, cognitive and motivational. The componential approach deals with the relative role assigned to each of these componnts. Then, emotions are created by stepping through all parts of the process, from the cognitive perception, until the actual response. Lazarus [13] and Scherer [20]
are usually associated with this approach.

## Appraisal Theories

Appraisal theories suggest that emotion is the result of underlying mechanisms including the subjective evaluation of the significance of a situation and its organism circumstances (appraisal), and the coping mechans that guide and provide adaptive responses (Frijda, 1986 [9]; Lazarus, 1991 [14]; Scherer, 1984 [20]; Scherer,