Bases of Social Power for Agents

Gonçalo Pereira (INESC-ID and Instituto Superior Técnico and Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

One of the most pervasive concepts in human interactions is social power since many social situations entail disputes of social power. These disputes are power games and range from simple personal reasoning to the exercise of specific power strategies, which enhance or assert one's power. Recognizing the importance of such interactions and how they can enhance autonomous agents' socially intelligent behaviors, we present a conceptual framework integrating the different bases of power as social forces that can underlie an agent's deliberative decision process. This work establishes a theoretical basis for social intelligent agents capable of both being aware of and manipulating social power.