A Model of Culture for Cognitive Agents

Misunderstandings derived from cultural differences represent a main barrier for effective communication and collaboration. As part of a platform aimed at supporting intercultural interactions, the authors present a synthetic model for quantifying culture. Their approach is based on theories which abstract culture as a set of quantifiable aspects called cultural dimensions. Given that in general, the values of cultural dimensions are subjective and highly dependent on the observer judgment, they are modeled as linguistic variables. Linguistic variables allow profiling users using pseudo natural language which is appropriate for an abstract concept like culture. Regarding computations, fuzzy logic and approximate reasoning can be used for comparing culture of individuals, making inferences from their values, and modeling stereotypical cultural profiles.