From social agents to multi-agent systems: Preliminary report

Abstract

This paper presents a formal analysis of social interaction within a multi-agent system. The concept of a social agent is introduced as the elemental building block of multi-agent systems. Social agents can be individual (BDI) agents or aggregations of agents (groups). The structure of a multi-agent system and that of social agents is formally characterised in terms of roles and the relationships between them. Stability and regulation of activity in a multi-agent system and within social agents can be accounted for by means of a complex web of roles, commitments, obligations and rights.