Using Speech Act Theory to Model Conversations for Automated Classification and Retrieval.pdf

121 Using Speech Act Theory to Model Conversations for Automated Classification and Retrieval Douglas P. Twitchell, Mark Adkins, Jay F. Nunamaker Jr., Judee K. Burgoon University of Arizona, USA {dtwitchell, madkins, jnunamaker, jburgoon}@ Abstract Instant messaging, chat rooms and other forms of synchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) are increasing in use in the business, military, and consumer world. The language action perspective provides methods for analyzing and modelling repeated business conversations including synchronous CMC. This paper describes a method for creating a profiles for large amounts of synchronous CMC conversation after it has occurred. Called a speech act profile, it is based on speech act theory. The profiles can be used either as patterns for classifying conversations or for creating visual maps of the conversations themselves. Application of the profiles in information retrieval and deception detection are discussed. Portions of this research were supported by funding from the U. S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research under the U. S. Department of Defense University Research Initiative (Grant \#F49620- 01-1-0394). The views, opinions, and/or findings in this report are those of the authors and should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision. The copyright of this paper belongs to the paper’s authors. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage. Proceedings of the 9th International Working Conference on the Language-Action Perspective on Communication Modelling (LAP 2004) Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, June 2-3, 2004 (M. Aakhus, M. Lind, eds.) /lap04/lap04.htm D P Twitchell, M Adkins, J F Nunamake Jr r, J K Burgoon 122 The Language-Action Perspective on Communicatio