1 A Multi-Agent Model for Emotion Contagion Spirals Integrated within a Supporting Ambient Agent Model Tibor Bosse 1 , Rob Duell 2 , Zulfiqar A. Memon 1,3 , Jan Treur 1 , C. Natalie van der Wal 1,2 1 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Artificial Intelligence De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2 Force Vision Lab, Barbara Strozzilaan 362a, 1083 HN Amsterdam, The Netherlands 3 Sukkur Institute of Business Administration (SIBA), Airport Road Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan {tbosse, rduell, zamemon, treur, cwl210}@few.vu.nl Abstract This paper uses an agent-based approach to formalize and simulate emotion contagion spirals within groups. The computational multi-agent model is integrated within an intelligent ambient agent to monitor and predict group emotion levels over time and propose group support actions based on that. Keywords: multi-agent model, emotion contagion spirals, ambient agent model. 1 Introduction The occurrence of emotion contagion spirals in groups is a social phenomenon, where levels of emotion occur that may substantially exceed the original emotion levels of group members. How to avoid such spirals for negative emotions and how to stimulate them for positive emotions can be a real challenge for both group members and group leaders. This paper first presents an analysis and a computational model for the occurrence of emotion contagion spirals in groups. Next, it is shown how this model has been integrated within an ambient agent model to support group leaders. The ambient agent can predict and analyze the team’s emotional level for present and future time points. In case a team’s emotional level is found (to become) deficient compared to a certain norm, the ambient agent proposes the team leader to take some measures. Emotions allow humans to respond quickly and efficiently to events that affect their welfare [15]. In addition, they provide us with information about others’ behavioral intentions, and script our social behavior. Research on the idea that emotion also has a strong social component, which can influence interactions, is found in, e.g. [12], [13]. The process of emotion contagion, in which a group member influences the emotions of another group member (and vice versa), through the conscious or unconscious induction of emotion states [21], is a primary mechanism through which individual emotions create a collective emotion. This process has been described as an inclination to mimic the gestural behavior of others, to “synchronize facial expression, utterances and attitudes” [13]. Emotion contagion has been shown to occur in many cases varying from emotions in small groups to panicking crowds; see [1], [23], [16]. The positive effects of the spread of emotions in groups have been investigated empirically in [9], where it is hypothesized that positive emotions trigger upward spirals toward enhanced emotional well-being. This prediction is based on Frederickson’s broaden-and-build theory [10]. The broaden hypothesis states that positive emotions broaden people’s mind-sets: the scopes of attention, cognition, action and the array of percepts, thoughts, and actions