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Almaraz_Masters_Thesis.pdf (656.91 KB)

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UNCANNY PROCESSING: MISMATCHES BETWEEN PROCESSING STYLE AND FEATURAL CUES TO HUMANITY CONTRIBUTE TO UNCANNY VALLEY EFFECTS

Almaraz, Steven Michael
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6012-4601
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1487623424211977

Abstract Details

2017, Master of Arts, Miami University, Psychology.
The uncanny valley is the tendency for highly humanlike, but non-human agents (e.g., robots, animated characters, dolls) to be perceived as creepy or unsettling, relative to their less humanlike counterparts. Recent research has pointed to mismatching signals of humanity as a possible explanation for the uncanny valley. The current work aimed to extend this hypothesis by investigating whether conflicting signals of humanity from face processing styles and featural cues can trigger negative affect. To this end, participants viewed faces that were morphed on a continuum from full dolls to full humans and indicated the extent to which these faces are unsettling. Critically, on half of the trials, faces were inverted to disrupt configural face processing, a processing style that involves viewing faces as a single Gestalt and is a cue for humanity. When faces were highly humanlike, they were experienced as less creepy than less humanlike faces, but when such targets were inverted, processing and featural signals did not disagree with one another, and some of the feelings of unease were alleviated.
Kurt Hugenberg, PhD (Committee Chair)
Heather Claypool, PhD (Committee Member)
Jonathan Kunstman, PhD (Committee Member)
28 p.
Psychology
configural processing; humanity; face processing; uncanny valley;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Almaraz, S. M. (2017). UNCANNY PROCESSING: MISMATCHES BETWEEN PROCESSING STYLE AND FEATURAL CUES TO HUMANITY CONTRIBUTE TO UNCANNY VALLEY EFFECTS [Master's thesis, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1487623424211977

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Almaraz, Steven. UNCANNY PROCESSING: MISMATCHES BETWEEN PROCESSING STYLE AND FEATURAL CUES TO HUMANITY CONTRIBUTE TO UNCANNY VALLEY EFFECTS . 2017. Miami University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1487623424211977.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Almaraz, Steven. "UNCANNY PROCESSING: MISMATCHES BETWEEN PROCESSING STYLE AND FEATURAL CUES TO HUMANITY CONTRIBUTE TO UNCANNY VALLEY EFFECTS ." Master's thesis, Miami University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1487623424211977

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1487623424211977
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.