Simulating the effect of emotional stress on task performance using OCC

Abstract

In this study we design and implement an artificial emotional response algorithm using the Ortony, Clore and Collins theory in an effort to understand and better simulate the response of intelligent agents in the presence of emotional stress. We first develop a general model to outline a generic emotional agent behaviour. Agents are then socially connected and surrounded by objects, or other actors, that trigger various emotions. A case study is built using a basic hospital model where nurse servicing patients interact in various static and dynamic emotional scenarios. The simulated results show that increase in emotional stress leads to higher error rates in nurse task performance. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.