The appraisal equivalence hypothesis: Verifying the domain-independence of a computational model of emotion dynamics

Appraisal theory is the most influential theory within affective computing, and serves as the basis for several computational models of emotion. The theory makes strong claims of domain-independence: seemingly different situations, both within and across domains are claimed to produce the identical emotional responses if and only if they are appraised the same way. This article tests this claim, and the predictions of a computational model that embodies it, in two very different interactive games. The results extend prior empirical evidence for appraisal theory to situations where emotions unfold and change over time.