Three open positions in Vici project 'Cognitive systems in interaction: Logical and computational models of higher-order social cognition', Groningen (The Netherlands)

Software agents are capable of recursion in their social reasoning: A thinks about what B knows that A knows, and so on. However, humans lose track of such reasoning after only two or three levels. If software agents work together with human team-mates, they need to take into account the limits of their social cognition.

In the Vici project 'Cognitive systems in interaction: Logical and computational models of higher-order social cognition', we investigate children's development and adults' limitations in applying higher-order reasoning, using a close-knit combination of empirical research and formal modelling. Whereas first-order social cognition has been intensely investigated, higher-order social cognition is far less well-understood. This Vici project aims to apply improved understanding of higher-order social reasoning to design realistic logics, ready for implementation in systems supporting mixed human-computer teams.

There are three open positions in the Multi-agent systems group at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, all with starting date Autumn 2010. 
Deadline for applications: September 1, 2010
1) Ph.D. position: Modeling the evolution of theory of mind (Vacancy number 210247)
2) Ph.D. position: A cognitive system supporting intelligent interaction (Vacancy number 210248)
3) Post-doc position: Logics for higher-order social cognition (Vacancy number 210249)

Deadline for applications: September 1, 2010. For more information you may contact Prof. dr. Rineke Verbrugge, L.C.Verbrugge at rug.nl, or see http://www.rinekeverbrugge.nl/Research.html.