---
type: source
id: jang-2026-uncanny-conversation
title: Uncanny Valley in Conversation? Effects of Internal and External Human-Likeness on Intimacy and Trust
authors:
- Jungwoo Jang
- Jae-gil Lee
- Hayeon Song
year: 2026
venue: Behavioral Sciences
volume: 16(10)
pages: '1794'
doi: 10.3390/bs16101794
pmid: null
pmcid: null
arxiv_id: null
openalex_id: W7215112744
oa_url: https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16101794
peer_review: peer-reviewed-journal
evidence_tier: B
design: '2 (appearance: machine-like vs human-like) × 3 (self-disclosure depth: none, low, high) between-subjects experiment; one scripted counselling session with an LLM-style AI counsellor prototype; six outcome measures, controlling for prior mind perception'
modality:
- text
stimuli: AI counsellor prototype varying appearance and depth of its own self-disclosure
n_participants: 193
n_note: University students
topics:
- uncanny-valley
- mind-perception
- trust
summary: A machine-like AI counsellor was liked and trusted most at low self-disclosure and less at high disclosure (an uncanny-valley-like curve of mind), whereas a human-like counsellor gained with deeper disclosure; internal and external human-likeness interact.
results:
- metric: 'Machine-like counsellor: intimacy, social presence, trust, authenticity'
  value: peaked at low disclosure, declined at high
  note: uncanny-valley-like pattern
  source_location: abstract
- metric: Human-like counsellor
  value: evaluations generally rose with disclosure depth
  note: ''
  source_location: abstract
- metric: Perceived inappropriateness
  value: not higher for deeper disclosure
  note: ''
  source_location: abstract
- metric: Mediation (machine-like only)
  value: deeper disclosure → lower anthropomorphism → lower intimacy and trust
  note: ''
  source_location: abstract
moderators:
- Agent appearance
limitations:
- Student sample
- Single scripted session
- Values from abstract only
mechanism_supported:
- mind-perception
verification:
  status: verified-abstract
  confidence: high
  checked: 2026-10-19
  via: OpenAlex abstract record W7215112744 for doi:10.3390/bs16101794
url: null
cited_in:
- MR-0002
updated: '2026-10-19'
---

# Uncanny Valley in Conversation? Effects of Internal and External Human-Likeness on Intimacy and Trust

> **Source record** `jang-2026-uncanny-conversation` · 2026 · Behavioral Sciences  
> **Evidence tier:** B (peer-reviewed-journal) · **Verification:** verified-abstract (compiler confidence: high)  
> **Bottom line:** A machine-like AI counsellor was liked and trusted most at low self-disclosure and less at high disclosure (an uncanny-valley-like curve of mind), whereas a human-like counsellor gained with deeper disclosure; internal and external human-likeness interact.

## Citation {#citation}

Jungwoo Jang, Jae-gil Lee, Hayeon Song (2026). Uncanny Valley in Conversation? Effects of Internal and External Human-Likeness on Intimacy and Trust. *Behavioral Sciences*, 16(10), 1794. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16101794

Verification entry (identifiers, resolvers, claims with source locations): [/data/citations.json#jang-2026-uncanny-conversation](/data/citations.json#jang-2026-uncanny-conversation)

## Study design {#design}

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Design | 2 (appearance: machine-like vs human-like) × 3 (self-disclosure depth: none, low, high) between-subjects experiment; one scripted counselling session with an LLM-style AI counsellor prototype; six outcome measures, controlling for prior mind perception |
| Modality | text |
| Stimuli | AI counsellor prototype varying appearance and depth of its own self-disclosure |
| Participants (N) | 193 |
| N detail | University students |
| Topics | uncanny-valley, mind-perception, trust |

## Results {#results}

| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Machine-like counsellor: intimacy, social presence, trust, authenticity | peaked at low disclosure, declined at high | uncanny-valley-like pattern |
| Human-like counsellor | evaluations generally rose with disclosure depth |  |
| Perceived inappropriateness | not higher for deeper disclosure |  |
| Mediation (machine-like only) | deeper disclosure → lower anthropomorphism → lower intimacy and trust |  |

## Moderators {#moderators}

- Agent appearance

## Mechanism relevance {#mechanism}

`mind-perception`

## Limitations {#limitations}

- Student sample
- Single scripted session
- Values from abstract only

## 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 W7215112744 for doi:10.3390/bs16101794 |

Values on this page have not all been checked against the full text. Confirm them against the primary source before high-stakes use.