This webpage is no longer maintained (3/6/2001). Here is the link to my new homepage at the Geneva interaction lab.

Thomas Wehrle, Ph.D.

Maître-assistant

Contact Information

General Research Interests

Current Projects

Completed Projects

October 1989 - 
December 1992		 National Science Foundation Project Portable AI Lab (40-27006.89) as part of the National Research Program (NFP 23) Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (as collaborator).
April 1990 - March 1991 Joint venture project with the Psychological Institute at the University of Zürich and a publishing company (Curti Medien AG) on Registration of eye movements in the domain of reader research.
May 1994 - 
August 2000		 Swiss National Science Foundation project on Dynamic man-computer interactions as a paradigm in emotion research  (FNRS 11-39551.93/049629.96). 
1997 Swiss National Science Foundation project (FNRS 12-50797.97) on Développement d'un module de génération syntaxique pour le français (as collaborator).
August 1997 -
August 2000		 Swiss Priority Program on Analyzing emotion, stress, and coping in families with adolescents in the field and in the laboratory. (SPP 5004-047771)

Research Interests in the Current Projects

Theoretical Objectives

A) Black Box Theory Modeling
The purpose of black box models is to produce outcomes or decisions that are maximally similar to those resulting from the operation of naturally occurring systems, disregarding the processes by which these outcomes are attained as well as the structures that are involved.
In our domain, such computer based modeling can be used for the development, refinement, and empirical testing of qualitative and quantitative postulates concerning the relation between appraisal dimensions on the one hand, and subjective feeling, action tendencies, and facial expression on the other hand.
B) Synthetic Modeling of Facial Behavior
Most traditional approaches in the domain of emotion research measure facial behavior in an experimental or field situation to derive rules about the interaction of subjective feeling, facial expression, interpersonal regulation, and verbal communication. The hope is that facial expression can serve as an indicator for an internal emotional state.
A complementary approach can be used both to generate and validate theoretically postulated synthetic facial expressions, which can subsequently be used to determine those features which are salient in the decoding of facial expressions.
C) Towards Process Modeling of Appraisal Theory
The purpose of process modeling is the attempt to simulate naturally occurring processes using hypothesized underlying mechanisms. Unfortunately there are only a few elaborated contributions towards such a model in the domain of emotion. In our group, a process model of emotion is seen as a necessary and very important but perhaps more long term undertaking.
D) Experimental Emotion Induction in a Continuous and Interactive Micro World Scenario
Contemporary research on appraisal is mainly based on the vignette methodology. Even though studies using this methodology have allowed important advances for the development of appraisal theories, especially for the identification of relevant appraisal dimensions, they are also criticized (Parkinson & Manstead, 1993) for their lack of ecological validity and for their reliance upon thought processes. To overcome some of the problems inherent in the classical approaches, while retaining a controlled experimental setting, we use interactive computer game scenarios to elicit emotions. These can be used to study the ongoing dynamic cognitive and emotional processes including their behavioral and expressive manifestations.
E) Automatic Coding of Facial Behavior
Although there has been a recent increase in empirical studies on emotion and facial expression, laboratory results are limited as far as spontaneous emotional episodes are concerned. This limitation is partly due to the fact that experimental emotion research tries to find global, context free, and inter-individually valid rules for linking a specific facial expression to a specific emotional state. The complexity and multi- functionality of facial expression makes it necessary to separate the coding and the interpretation of facial expressions. The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) (Ekman & Friesen, 1978) seems to be the best suited classification scheme available today to analyze and describe facial expressions in a sufficiently differentiated and objective manner. Unfortunately, this objective measurement of facial behavior is very time consuming and needs a lot of special training. Therefore, the development of an automatic method has been an object of our research for several years. Our current aims concern the refinement of our existing method for the automatic coding of facial behavior, as well as the enhancement of the classification codes (e.g. for asymmetries, intensities, dynamics).
F) Interactive Data Elicitation and Analysis
Due to the complexity of a multi- modal, process oriented approach, the analysis and visualization of the different kinds of data becomes a research topic in itself. Such an undertaking is made feasible by new technologies in the domain of signal processing and video equipment. We are therefore working on a multimedia environment that supports the visualization and analysis of different sources of empirical data.
Another reason for this work is an inherent and common problem in assessing subjective states: Since verbal reports of the subjects may interfere with the ongoing evaluation of a situation, it is desirable to be able to elicit such information after the main experiment. A multimedia tool such as that being developed permits post-experimental data collection in a situation which retains as much of the original contextual information as possible.
The challenges of the different research tasks described above have led to the development of different research tools that are presented in the following. Most of the tools are prototypes, some are still under development but already functional. We cannot distribute these tools anymore due to the massive work that this has caused in the past.

Methodological Objectives and Tools

(To get more information about the tools, click in the picture.)

Not yet fully integrated tools:

Publications

  • Wehrle, T. (2001). The grounding problem of modeling emotions in adaptive artifacts. In P. Petta & D. Canamero (Eds.). Grounding emotions in adaptive systems: Volume I [Special issue]. Cybernetics and Systems: An International Journal, 32 (5), 561-580.
  • Schmidt, S., Wehrle, T., & Kaiser, S. (submitted). Appraisal profiles of positive and negative emotions in an interactive computer game. Manuscript submitted for publication.
  • Van Reekum,  C. M., Banse, R., Johnstone, T., Scherer, K. R., Etter, A., & Wehrle, T. (submitted). Psychophysiological responses to emotion-antecedent appraisal in a computer game. Manuscript submitted for publication, University of Geneva.
  • Kaiser, S. & Wehrle, T. (2001). Facial expressions as indicators of appraisal processes. In K. R. Scherer, A. Schorr, & T. Johnstone  (Eds.), Appraisal theories of emotions: Theories, methods, research (pp. 285-300). New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Wehrle, T. & Scherer, K. R. (2001). Towards computational modeling of appraisal theories. In K. R. Scherer, A. Schorr, & T. Johnstone  (Eds.), Appraisal theories of emotions: Theories, methods, research (pp. 350-365). New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Kaiser, S., Wehrle, T., & Schmidt, S. (2001). Regulierung und mimischer Ausdruck affektiver Prozesse in einem interaktiven Computerspiel. In U. Gerhard (Ed.), Psychologie und Lebensqualität (pp. 175-177). Freiburg: Universitätsverlag Freiburg Schweiz.
  • Schmidt, S., Wehrle, T., & Kaiser, S. (2001). Bewertungsprofile positiver und negativer Emotionen in einem interaktiven Computerspiel. In U. Gerhard (Ed.), Psychologie und Lebensqualität (pp. 178-181). Freiburg: Universitätsverlag Freiburg Schweiz.
  • Wehrle, T. & Kaiser, S. (2000). Emotion and facial expression. In A. Paiva (Ed.), Affect in Interactions: Towards a new generation of interfaces (pp. 49-63). Heidelberg: Springer.
  • Wehrle, T., Kaiser, S., Schmidt, S. & Scherer, K. R (2000). Studying the dynamics of emotional expression using synthesized facial muscle movements. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78 (1), 105-119.
  • Kaiser, S., & Wehrle, T. (2000). Ausdruckspsychologische Methoden. In J. H. Otto, H. A. Euler, & Mandl, H. (Hrsg.), Handbuch Emotionspsychologie (pp. 419-428). Weinheim: Beltz, Psychologie Verlags Union.
  • Etchegoyhen, T., Mengon J., Vandeventer A. & Wehrle, T. (1999). Une approche efficace à la génération syntaxique multilingue : Le système GBGen. In Proceedings of the 2ème colloque francophone Génération Automatique de Textes (GAT'99), Grenoble, France.
  • Etchegoyhen, T., & Wehrle, T. (1998). System demonstration: Overview of GBGEN. Proceedings of the 9th International Workshop on Natural Language Generation (p. 288-291). Association for Computational Linguistics.
  • Wehrle, T. (1998). Motivations behind modeling emotional agents: Whose emotion does your robot have? In Numaoka C., Cañamero D., Petta P. (eds.): Grounding Emotions in Adaptive Systems, SAB'98 (5th International Conference of the Society for Adaptive Behavior) Workshop Notes, Zurich, Switzerland, August 21, 1998.
  • Kaiser, S., Wehrle, T., & Schmidt, S. (1998). Emotional episodes, facial expression, and reported feelings in human-computer interactions. In A. H. Fischer (Ed.), Proceedings of the Xth Conference of the International Society for Research on Emotions (pp. 82-86). Würzburg: ISRE Publications.
  • Kaiser, S. & Wehrle, T. (1996). Situated emotional problem solving in interactive computer games. In N. H. Frijda (Ed.), Proceedings of the IXth Conference of the International Society for Research on Emotions (pp. 276-280). Toronto: ISRE Publications.
  • Wehrle, T. (1996). Computer simulation of appraisal theories. Abstracts of the XXVI International Congress of Psychology. International Journal of Psychology, 31, 484.157.
  • Wehrle, T. & Scherer, K. R. (1995). Potential Pitfalls in Computational Modelling of Appraisal Processes: A Reply to Chwelos and Oatley. Cognition and Emotion, 9, 599- 616.
  • Wehrle, T. (1994a). Eine Methode zur psychologischen Modellierung und Simulation von Autonomen Agenten (A method for the psychological modeling and simulation of autonomous agents). Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Zürich.
  • Wehrle, T. (1994b). New fungus eater experiments. In P. Gaussier & J.-D. Nicoud (Eds.), From perception to action. Los Alamitos: IEEE Computer Society Press.
  • Kaiser, S., Wehrle, T. & Edwards, P. (1994). Multi-modal emotion measurement in an interactive computer-game: A pilot-study. In N. H. Frijda (Ed.), Proceedings of the VIIIth Conference of the International Society for Research on Emotions (pp. 275-279). Storrs: ISRE Publications.
  • Kaiser, S. & Wehrle, T. (1994). Emotion research and AI: some theoretical and technical issues. Geneva Studies in Emotion and Communication, 8 (2), 1-16.
  • Aiken, B., Allemang, D. & Wehrle, T. (1992). Designing laboratory modules for novices in an undergraduate AI course, ACM SIGCSE workshop, Kansas City.
  • Allemang, D., Aiken, B. M., Almassy, N., Wehrle, T. & Rothenfluh, T. (1991). Teaching machine learning principles with the Portable AI Lab. Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Aided Learning and Instruction in Science and Engineering (p. 395-400). Lausanne: Presses Polytechniques et Universitaires Romandes.
  • Kaiser, S. & Wehrle, T. (1992). Automated coding of facial behavior in human-computer interactions with FACS, Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 16 (2), 67- 83.
  • Kaiser, S. & Wehrle, T. (1991). Blickregistrierung in der Leserforschung.(Registration of eye movements in the domain of reader research.) Bericht aus der Fachgruppe Psychologische Methodenlehre (91-01), Universität Zürich.
  • Wehrle, T. (1988). Kodierung mimischen Verhaltens durch künstliche neuronale Netzwerke (Facial expression coding with  artificial neural networks). Unpublished master's thesis, University of Zürich.
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