mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Games Agents Play: Towards Transactional Analysis in LLM-based Multi-Agent Systems

arXiv 2507.21354 ↗First posted 28 Jul 2025cs.AI cs.MAcited by 3

On the map: LLM agents and tool use → Social simulation and multi-agent debate

Abstract (arXiv)

Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) are increasingly used to simulate social interactions, but most of the frameworks miss the underlying cognitive complexity of human behavior. In this paper, we introduce Trans-ACT (Transactional Analysis Cognitive Toolkit), an approach embedding Transactional Analysis (TA) principles into MAS to generate agents with realistic psychological dynamics. Trans-ACT integrates the Parent, Adult, and Child ego states into an agent's cognitive architecture. Each ego state retrieves context-specific memories and uses them to shape response to new situations. The final answer is chosen according to the underlying life script of the agent. Our experimental simulation, which reproduces the Stupid game scenario, demonstrates that agents grounded in cognitive and TA principles produce deeper and context-aware interactions. Looking ahead, our research opens a new way for a variety of applications, including conflict resolution, educational support, and advanced social psychology studies.

Key facts. Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Social simulation and multi-agent debate, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 23 of its 51 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 28 Jul 2025.

Builds on

23 of 51 references.

Closest ancestors · 4

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2024On the limits of agency in agent-based models14 Sep
  2. 2024Can Agents Spontaneously Form a Society? Introducing a Novel Architecture for Generative Multi-Agents to Elicit Social Emergence10 Sep
  3. 2024LLM-Augmented Agent-Based Modelling for Social Simulations: Challenges and Opportunities8 May
  4. 2023Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior7 Apr

Other references · 19

  1. 2022ReAct: Synergizing Reasoning and Acting in Language Modelscited by 8,695
  2. 2017Billion-scale similarity search with GPUscited by 2,497
  3. 2023A Survey on Large Language Model based Autonomous Agentscited by 2,242
  4. 2022Out of One, Many: Using Language Models to Simulate Human Samplescited by 752
  5. 2025Multi-Agent Collaboration Mechanisms: A Survey of LLMscited by 431
  6. 2023Cognitive Architectures for Language Agentscited by 429
  7. 2023Large Language Models Empowered Agent-based Modeling and Simulation: A Survey and Perspectivescited by 257
  8. 2024LLM-Based Multi-Agent Systems for Software Engineering: Literature Review, Vision and the Road Aheadcited by 155
  9. 2024Large Language Models and Cognitive Science: A Comprehensive Review of Similarities, Differences, and Challengescited by 49
  10. 2024Cognitive Personalized Search Integrating Large Language Models with an Efficient Memory Mechanismcited by 22
  11. 2024AdaSociety: An Adaptive Environment with Social Structures for Multi-Agent Decision-Makingcited by 20
  12. 2025Decompose-ToM: Enhancing Theory of Mind Reasoning in Large Language Models through Simulation and Task Decompositioncited by 17
7 more
  1. 2024Multi-Agents are Social Groups: Investigating Social Influence of Multiple Agents in Human-Agent Interactionscited by 16
  2. 2022An Analysis and Comparison of ACT-R and Soarcited by 12
  3. 2024Bootstrapping Cognitive Agents with a Large Language Modelcited by 9
  4. 2025ElliottAgents: A Natural Language-Driven Multi-Agent System for Stock Market Analysis and Predictioncited by 9
  5. 2024Predicting and Understanding Human Action Decisions: Insights from Large Language Models and Cognitive Instance-Based Learningcited by 8
  6. 2024Casevo: A Cognitive Agents and Social Evolution Simulatorcited by 8
  7. 2017Reality-Aware Social Choicecited by 3

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2026: 3.

3 papers.

  1. 2026Multi-Agent Dialectical Refinement for Enhanced Argument Classificationcited by 3
  2. 2026Improving Implicit Hate Speech Detection via a Community-Driven Multi-Agent Frameworkcited by 0
  3. 2026Towards Mitigating Fabricated Consensus: The Active Provenance Gate for Multi-Agent Debate Synthesiscited by 0

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2025TACLA: An LLM-Based Multi-Agent Tool for Transactional Analysis Training in Education
  2. 2025On the Role of Contextual Information and Ego States in LLM Agent Behavior for Transactional Analysis Dialogues
  3. 2025Emotional Cognitive Modeling Framework with Desire-Driven Objective Optimization for LLM-empowered Agent in Social Simulation
  4. 2025Simulating Generative Social Agents via Theory-Informed Workflow Design
  5. 2025CoBRA: Programming Cognitive Bias in Social Agents Using Classic Social Science Experiments
  6. 2026Avalon-ToM-Bench: Evaluating Fine-Grained Theory of Mind via Asymmetric Game Mechanics
  7. 2026MINDGAMES: A Live Arena for Evaluating Social and Strategic Reasoning in Multi-Agent LLMs
  8. 2025Simulating Teams with LLM Agents: Interactive 2D Environments for Studying Human-AI Dynamics