Robot gaze-timing combinations and the uncanny valley
Source record
hsieh-2026-robot-gaze-uncanny· 2026 · Computers in Human Behavior Reports
Evidence tier: B (peer-reviewed-journal) · Verification: verified-abstract (compiler confidence: high)
Bottom line: Across nine robot gaze-timing conditions, likability followed an uncanny-valley (cubic) curve over perceived anthropomorphism while perceived empathy rose steadily; extraversion, negative attitudes and neuroticism moderated these relations.
Citation
Te-Yi Hsieh, Pai-He Hsiao, Sin-Cheng Ciou, Chia-Hui Pan, Tzu-Chun Chen, Chia-Chun Tsai, Yu Fang, Su-Ling Yeh (2026). Robot gaze-timing combinations and the uncanny valley. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 24, 101378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101378
Verification entry (identifiers, resolvers, claims with source locations): /data/citations.json#hsieh-2026-robot-gaze-uncanny
Study design
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Design | Within-subject ratings of a virtual robot in nine gaze conditions (direct vs averted gaze ratios and durations) during storytelling, with eye tracking (EMHMM) and personality/attitude measures |
| Modality | robot-face |
| Stimuli | Virtual anthropomorphic robot, nine gaze-timing combinations |
| Participants (N) | 61 |
| Topics | uncanny-valley, valley-shape, individual-differences |
Results
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropomorphism-likability relation | cubic, uncanny-valley pattern | |
| Anthropomorphism-empathy relation | rose steadily (no valley) | |
| Moderators (exploratory) | extraversion and negative attitudes toward robots (likability); neuroticism (empathy) | |
| Eye-movement patterns (EMHMM) | two: analytic and holistic | higher openness → more analytic viewing of the highest-rated gaze conditions |
Moderators
- Personality (extraversion, neuroticism, openness)
- Attitudes toward robots
Mechanism relevance
human-likeness
Limitations
- Virtual robot, not synthetic human media
- Values from abstract only
- Exploratory moderator analyses
Cited in
- MR-0002: The Uncanny Valley and Synthetic Media: Does It Exist, What Causes It, and Have Deepfakes Crossed It?
Verification
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | verified-abstract |
| Compiler confidence | high |
| Checked on | 2026-10-19 |
| Via | OpenAlex abstract record W7221007893 for doi:10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101378 |
Values on this page have not all been checked against the full text. Confirm them against the primary source before high-stakes use.