Visible to the public Reducing Mistrust in Agent-Human Negotiations

TitleReducing Mistrust in Agent-Human Negotiations
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsYinping Yang, Falcao, H., Delicado, N., Ortony, A.
JournalIntelligent Systems, IEEE
Volume29
Pagination36-43
Date PublishedMar
ISSN1541-1672
Keywordsagent-human negotiation, agent-human negotiations, computational agent, Context, Economics, Educational institutions, face-to-face negotiation, Instruments, Intelligent systems, Joints, multi-agent systems, multiissue negotiation, online interaction, online negotiation, online negotiation setting, socially intelligent agent, socially intelligent agents, software agent, software agents, Trusted Computing, trusting individual
Abstract

Face-to-face negotiations always benefit if the interacting individuals trust each other. But trust is also important in online interactions, even for humans interacting with a computational agent. In this article, the authors describe a behavioral experiment to determine whether, by volunteering information that it need not disclose, a software agent in a multi-issue negotiation can alleviate mistrust in human counterparts who differ in their propensities to mistrust others. Results indicated that when cynical, mistrusting humans negotiated with an agent that proactively communicated its issue priority and invited reciprocation, there were significantly more agreements and better utilities than when the agent didn't volunteer such information. Furthermore, when the agent volunteered its issue priority, the outcomes for mistrusting individuals were as good as those for trusting individuals, for whom the volunteering of issue priority conferred no advantage. These findings provide insights for designing more effective, socially intelligent agents in online negotiation settings.

DOI10.1109/MIS.2013.106
Citation Key6636309