---
type: source
id: hsieh-2026-robot-gaze-uncanny
title: Robot gaze-timing combinations and the uncanny valley
authors:
- Te-Yi Hsieh
- Pai-He Hsiao
- Sin-Cheng Ciou
- Chia-Hui Pan
- Tzu-Chun Chen
- Chia-Chun Tsai
- Yu Fang
- Su-Ling Yeh
year: 2026
venue: Computers in Human Behavior Reports
volume: '24'
pages: '101378'
doi: 10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101378
pmid: null
pmcid: null
arxiv_id: null
openalex_id: W7221007893
oa_url: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958826004525/pdf
peer_review: peer-reviewed-journal
evidence_tier: B
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
n_participants: 61
n_note: ''
topics:
- uncanny-valley
- valley-shape
- individual-differences
summary: 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.
results:
- metric: Anthropomorphism-likability relation
  value: cubic, uncanny-valley pattern
  note: ''
  source_location: abstract
- metric: Anthropomorphism-empathy relation
  value: rose steadily (no valley)
  note: ''
  source_location: abstract
- metric: Moderators (exploratory)
  value: extraversion and negative attitudes toward robots (likability); neuroticism (empathy)
  note: ''
  source_location: abstract
- metric: Eye-movement patterns (EMHMM)
  value: 'two: analytic and holistic'
  note: higher openness → more analytic viewing of the highest-rated gaze conditions
  source_location: abstract
moderators:
- Personality (extraversion, neuroticism, openness)
- Attitudes toward robots
limitations:
- Virtual robot, not synthetic human media
- Values from abstract only
- Exploratory moderator analyses
mechanism_supported:
- human-likeness
verification:
  status: verified-abstract
  confidence: high
  checked: 2026-10-19
  via: OpenAlex abstract record W7221007893 for doi:10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101378
url: null
cited_in:
- MR-0002
updated: '2026-10-19'
---

# 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 {#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](/data/citations.json#hsieh-2026-robot-gaze-uncanny)

## Study design {#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 {#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 {#moderators}

- Personality (extraversion, neuroticism, openness)
- Attitudes toward robots

## Mechanism relevance {#mechanism}

`human-likeness`

## Limitations {#limitations}

- Virtual robot, not synthetic human media
- Values from abstract only
- Exploratory moderator analyses

## Cited in {#cited-in}

- [MR-0002](/metareports/uncanny-valley-and-synthetic-faces.md): The Uncanny Valley and Synthetic Media: Does It Exist, What Causes It, and Have Deepfakes Crossed It?

## Verification {#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.