From Argumentation to Deliberation: Perspectivized Stance Vectors for Fine-grained (Dis)agreement Analysis

TL;DR

This paper introduces Perspectivized Stance Vectors, a novel framework for analyzing arguments in debates by capturing individual perspectives, enabling the identification of shared views and actionable conflict resolution points.

Contribution

It formalizes a new method for fine-grained perspective analysis in argumentation, bridging argument content and underlying attitudes for conflict resolution.

Findings

Developed Perspectivized Stance Vectors for argument analysis

Enabled measurement of structured (dis)agreement based on perspectives

Facilitated identification of shared and opposing viewpoints

Abstract

Debating over conflicting issues is a necessary first step towards resolving conflicts. However, intrinsic perspectives of an arguer are difficult to overcome by persuasive argumentation skills. Proceeding from a debate to a deliberative process, where we can identify actionable options for resolving a conflict requires a deeper analysis of arguments and the perspectives they are grounded in - as it is only from there that one can derive mutually agreeable resolution steps. In this work we develop a framework for a deliberative analysis of arguments in a computational argumentation setup. We conduct a fine-grained analysis of perspectivized stances expressed in the arguments of different arguers or stakeholders on a given issue, aiming not only to identify their opposing views, but also shared perspectives arising from their attitudes, values or needs. We formalize this analysis in Perspectivized Stance Vectors that characterize the individual perspectivized stances of all arguers on a given issue. We construct these vectors by determining issue- and argument-specific concepts, and predict an arguer's stance relative to each of them. The vectors allow us to measure a modulated (dis)agreement between arguers, structured by perspectives, which allows us to identify actionable points for conflict resolution, as a first step towards deliberation.