Dimensional Affect and Expression in Natural and Mediated Interaction

TL;DR

This paper explores the compatibility of dimensional and categorical models of affect, proposing a re-framing of affect studies in human-computer interaction to better understand human expression and emotion.

Contribution

It introduces a novel perspective that combines dimensional and categorical affect models and suggests reformulating affect research in HCI and HCHI contexts.

Findings

Dimensional and categorical affect models are compatible.

Re-framing affect studies enhances understanding in HCI.

Examples from recent projects illustrate the new approach.

Abstract

There is a perceived controversy as to whether the cognitive representation of affect is better modelled using a dimensional or categorical theory. This paper first suggests that these views are, in fact, compatible. The paper then discusses this theme and related issues in reference to a commonly stated application domain of research on human affect and expression: human computer interaction (HCI). The novel suggestion here is that a more realistic framing of studies of human affect in expression with reference to HCI and, particularly HCHI (Human-Computer-Human Interaction) entails some re-formulation of the approach to the basic phenomena themselves. This theme is illustrated with several examples from several recent research projects.