Title: Agent-based modelling to visualise trustworthiness: a socio-technical framework

Authors: Shuyuan Mary Ho; Ram Reddy Katukoori

Addresses: College of Communication and Information, School of Library and Information Studies, Florida State University, 142 Collegiate Loop, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2100, USA ' College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Computer Science, Florida State University, 142 Collegiate Loop, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2100, USA

Abstract: This paper describes a socio-technical study based on physical world scenarios of deceptive behaviour occurring in a virtual collaborative environment. An agent-based modelling (ABM) approach was adopted to visualise trustworthiness that can signal deceptive behaviour in virtual communications among social actors. The modelling strategies were guided by attribution theories toward an agent's perceived trustworthiness. The assessment of an agent's trustworthiness is based on their language actions as observable information-based behavioural cues, derived from objective semantic analysis. The consistency between an agent's words and actions and distinctiveness of the agent's behaviour when compared against his/her regular behaviour can serve as input data in each interaction. A set of ABM rules is proposed to systematically capture this interaction and assessment of trustworthiness. The logic behind a dyadic attribution can support computations on the trustworthiness of an agent.

Keywords: trustworthiness; attribution theory; agent-based modelling; ABM; online game simulation; human-computer interaction; HCI; agent-based systems; multi-agent systems; MAS; socio-technical systems; deceptive behaviour; virtual environments; collaborative environments; semantic analysis; language actions; behavioural cues.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMNDI.2013.057145

International Journal of Mobile Network Design and Innovation, 2013 Vol.5 No.1, pp.17 - 27

Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

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