---
type: source
id: seyama-nagayama-2007
title: 'The uncanny valley: Effect of realism on the impression of artificial human faces'
authors:
- Jun'ichiro Seyama
- Ruth S. Nagayama
year: 2007
venue: 'Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments'
volume: 16(4)
pages: 337-351
doi: 10.1162/pres.16.4.337
peer_review: peer-reviewed-journal
evidence_tier: B
design: Morphs between real and artificial (doll/mask) faces with eye-size manipulation; pleasantness ratings
modality:
- image-face
stimuli: Real-to-artificial morph continua
n_participants: null
n_note: small (not recorded)
topics:
- uncanny-valley
- mechanisms
- atypicality
summary: Realism alone did not produce unpleasantness; strong unpleasantness appeared only when highly realistic faces had abnormal eye size.
results:
- metric: Realism alone
  value: no valley
  note: ''
  source_location: null
- metric: Abnormal features × high realism
  value: strong unpleasantness
  note: realism amplifies sensitivity to deviations
  source_location: null
moderators: []
limitations:
- Small samples
- Static images
mechanism_supported:
- atypicality
- perceptual-mismatch
verification:
  status: unverified
  confidence: high
  checked: null
  via: compiler knowledge
url: null
pmid: null
pmcid: null
arxiv_id: null
openalex_id: null
oa_url: null
cited_in:
- MR-0002
updated: '2026-10-07'
---

# The uncanny valley: Effect of realism on the impression of artificial human faces

> **Source record** `seyama-nagayama-2007` · 2007 · Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments  
> **Evidence tier:** B (peer-reviewed-journal) · **Verification:** unverified (compiler confidence: high)  
> **Bottom line:** Realism alone did not produce unpleasantness; strong unpleasantness appeared only when highly realistic faces had abnormal eye size.

## Citation {#citation}

Jun'ichiro Seyama, Ruth S. Nagayama (2007). The uncanny valley: Effect of realism on the impression of artificial human faces. *Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments*, 16(4), 337-351. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres.16.4.337

Verification entry (identifiers, resolvers, claims with source locations): [/data/citations.json#seyama-nagayama-2007](/data/citations.json#seyama-nagayama-2007)

## Study design {#design}

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Design | Morphs between real and artificial (doll/mask) faces with eye-size manipulation; pleasantness ratings |
| Modality | image-face |
| Stimuli | Real-to-artificial morph continua |
| Participants (N) | not recorded |
| N detail | small (not recorded) |
| Topics | uncanny-valley, mechanisms, atypicality |

## Results {#results}

| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Realism alone | no valley |  |
| Abnormal features × high realism | strong unpleasantness | realism amplifies sensitivity to deviations |

## Mechanism relevance {#mechanism}

`atypicality`, `perceptual-mismatch`

## Limitations {#limitations}

- Small samples
- Static images

## 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 | `unverified` |
| Compiler confidence | high |
| Checked on | — |
| Via | compiler knowledge |

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