From Observation to Interaction

Abstract

In this chapter, we will describe a framework of learning by mimicking for converting observation into proficient conversational behaviors. Individuals of some species can utilize the learning capacities of other individuals by mimicking their behavior. When this happens, biologists speak about culture. Humans are arguably the most sophisticated cultured species on earth and learning by imitation or mimicry lies at the root of their cultural abilities within which interaction and conversational behavior exists. This chapter starts by providing a general framework for learning by imitation covering its architecture and algorithmic details. It then moves on to describe applications of this framework in learning interactive behavior both as implicit and explicit interaction protocols. The insights learned from theoretical and experimental considerations are then utilized to provide a general framework for fluid agent-initiated imitation in the following chapter.