A Literature Review of the Research on the Uncanny Valley

Zhang, Jie; Li, Shuo; Zhang, Jingyu; Du, Feng; Qi, Yue; Liu, Xun

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49788-0_19

Cited by 21 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…To examine whether these effects also extended to the nonlinear association between anthropomorphism and likability, we extended the previous meta-regression analyses and included respective interactions for the linear, quadratic, and cubic terms. However, inconsistent with assumption (e), these interactions were not significant (see Table 2), thus, indicating that movement and communication did not moderate the predicted effects given in Complementing and extending insights gained from narrative reviews on the uncanny valley hypothesis (Kätsyri et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2020), we presented the first quantitative, meta-analytical review of the main assumptions underlying the uncanny valley effect. We focused on the characteristic relationship between user assessments of human likeness (the x-axis) and likability (the y-axis) that was proposed by Mori (1970, Figure 1), based on the Godspeed scales (Bartneck, Kulić, et al, 2009), a standard measure in the field (cf.…”

Section: Movement and Other Moderating Effectsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…However, due to inconsistent empirical evidence, the existence of the uncanny valley effect and the conditions under which it is more or less pronounced are a matter of debate (cf. Kätsyri et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2020). Given the great popularity of the uncanny valley hypothesis, it is surprising that its basic propositions still lack systematic empirical corroboration.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human-like Robots and the Uncanny Valley: A Meta-Analysis of User Responses Based on the Godspeed Scales

Mara¹,

Appel²,

Gnambs³

2021

Preprint

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In the field of human-robot interaction, the well-known uncanny valley hypothesis proposes a curvilinear relationship between a robot’s degree of human likeness and the observers’ responses to the robot. While low to medium human likeness should be associated with increasingly positive responses, a shift to negative responses is expected for highly anthropomorphic robots. As empirical findings on the uncanny valley hypothesis are inconclusive, we conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of 49 studies (total N = 3,556) that reported 131 evaluations of robots based on the Godspeed scales for anthropomorphism (i.e., human likeness) and likability. Our results confirm more positive responses for more human-like robots at low to medium anthropomorphism, with moving robots rated as more human-like but not necessarily more likable than static ones. However, because highly anthropomorphic robots were sparsely utilized in previous studies, no conclusions regarding proposed adverse effects at higher levels of human likeness can be made at this stage.

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Section: Movement and Other Moderating Effectsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human-like Robots and the Uncanny Valley: A Meta-Analysis of User Responses Based on the Godspeed Scales

Mara¹,

Appel²,

Gnambs³

2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Over the past decade, the number of empirical investigations of human-robot relationships and determinants of robot acceptance has steadily increased, many of which have dealt with potentially aversive reactions to human-like machines. However, due to inconsistent empirical evidence, the existence of the uncanny valley effect and the conditions under which it is more or less pronounced are a matter of debate (see Kätsyri et al, 2015; Wang et al, 2015; Zhang et al, 2020). Given the great popularity of the uncanny valley hypothesis, it is surprising that its basic propositions still lack systematic empirical corroboration.…”

Section: Human-like Robotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human-Like Robots and the Uncanny Valley

Mara

Appel

Gnambs

2022

Zeitschrift für Psychologie

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Abstract. In the field of human-robot interaction, the well-known uncanny valley hypothesis proposes a curvilinear relationship between a robot’s degree of human likeness and the observers’ responses to the robot. While low to medium human likeness should be associated with increased positive responses, a shift to negative responses is expected for highly anthropomorphic robots. As empirical findings on the uncanny valley hypothesis are inconclusive, we conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of 49 studies (total N = 3,556) that reported 131 evaluations of robots based on the Godspeed scales for anthropomorphism (i.e., human likeness) and likeability. Our results confirm more positive responses for more human-like robots at low to medium anthropomorphism, with moving robots rated as more human-like but not necessarily more likable than static ones. However, because highly anthropomorphic robots were sparsely utilized in previous studies, no conclusions regarding proposed adverse effects at higher levels of human likeness can be made at this stage.

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“…Since 2005, UV research has flourished, presenting a wide range of theories. Empirical studies have focused mainly on determining whether the UV effect exists or on testing the predictions of one of these theories ( Kätsyri, Förger, Mäkäräinen, & Takala, 2015 ; Lay, Brace, Pike, & Pollick, 2016 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ). More than two-thirds of UV studies have found that the UV effect exists ( Burleigh, Schoenherr, & Lacroix, 2013 ; Kim, Bruce, Brown, Visser, & Phillips, 2020 ; MacDorman & Ishiguro, 2006 ; Mathur & Reichling, 2015 ; Mathur et al, 2020 ; McDonnell, Breidt, & Bülthoff, 2012 ; Seyama & Nagayama, 2007 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Creepy cats and strange high houses: Support for configural processing in testing predictions of nine uncanny valley theories

Diel

MacDorman

2021

Journal of Vision

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In 1970, Masahiro Mori proposed the uncanny valley (UV), a region in a human-likeness continuum where an entity risks eliciting a cold, eerie, repellent feeling. Recent studies have shown that this feeling can be elicited by entities modeled not only on humans but also nonhuman animals. The perceptual and cognitive mechanisms underlying the UV effect are not well understood, although many theories have been proposed to explain them. To test the predictions of nine classes of theories, a within-subjects experiment was conducted with 136 participants. The theories’ predictions were compared with ratings of 10 classes of stimuli on eeriness and coldness indices. One type of theory, configural processing, predicted eight out of nine significant effects. Atypicality, in its extended form, in which the uncanny valley effect is amplified by the stimulus appearing more human, also predicted eight. Threat avoidance predicted seven; atypicality, perceptual mismatch, and mismatch+ predicted six; category+, novelty avoidance, mate selection, and psychopathy avoidance predicted five; and category uncertainty predicted three. Empathy's main prediction was not supported. Given that the number of significant effects predicted depends partly on our choice of hypotheses, a detailed consideration of each result is advised. We do, however, note the methodological value of examining many competing theories in the same experiment.

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A Literature Review of the Research on the Uncanny Valley

Cited by 21 publications

References 52 publications

Human-like Robots and the Uncanny Valley: A Meta-Analysis of User Responses Based on the Godspeed Scales

Human-like Robots and the Uncanny Valley: A Meta-Analysis of User Responses Based on the Godspeed Scales

Human-Like Robots and the Uncanny Valley

Creepy cats and strange high houses: Support for configural processing in testing predictions of nine uncanny valley theories

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