Title: The Self of Social Agents

Author: Eric Werner, Ph.D.

Cellnomica, Inc.
email: eric.werner@cellnomica.com

Abstract

A theory of the development of the social psyche of an agent is presented. The purpose is the elucidation of the problem of how an agent is integrated into a social system. The social self is that part of the self that gives the agent a social competence. As part of the quest of understanding how an agent's social competence develops, we give a formal description of the process of internalization of social roles. This is made possible by utilization of a formal theory of an agent's intentions, social roles, as well as a formal theory of an agent's abilities in a context of a social world. This work is motivated and supported by psychological theories of the development of the self of the child in the maternal context. In characterizing this process we hope to further our understanding of how agents can learn and develop social abilities dynamically in a social world.