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This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
Have you ever felt inexplicable discomfort looking at a robot that looks almost human but lacks something? Or have you watched an animated film where the characters are so realistic that they cause anxiety instead of admiration? If so, you have encountered the effect of the sinister valley (uncanny valley) – a psychological phenomenon where something almost human seems creepy to us.
What is the sinister valley effect?
Term uncanny valley introduced by Japanese scientist Masahiro Mori (Masahiro Mori) in 1970. He suggested that the more a robot or image resembles a person, the more we like it – but only up to a certain limit. If the similarity is too high but not perfect, we begin to feel discomfort. This is the «sinister valley» – zone where the object looks almost realistic, but something in it causes rejection.
Maury depicted it as a graph:
- When a robot or character has a simple, cartoonish appearance (such as a toy robot), people view it positively.
- The more he becomes like a person, the more sympathy he evokes.
- But when the similarity reaches a point where the object is almost like a human, but still «is not like», sympathy drops sharply – there is a feeling of anxiety and even fear.
Why does this scare us?
Scientists and psychologists put forward several explanations for this phenomenon:
- Evolutionary mechanism
The human brain has learned to recognize threats well. When we see something that looks a lot like a person, but has «wrong» details (unnatural movements, strange facial expressions, lifeless gaze), our brain subconsciously signals danger. This may be due to the fact that in nature we avoid sick or dead people – their appearance may resemble what we see in an ominous valley.2. The gap between expectation and reality
We expect an object that looks like a human to behave just like a human. But when it moves or reacts not quite naturally, it creates cognitive dissonance – the brain cannot find a familiar pattern of behavior, and an anxious feeling arises.3. Subconscious association with the inanimate
Some researchers suggest that objects from the sinister valley remind us of death, mannequins, corpses or zombies. It increases fear and a sense of unnaturalness.
Examples of a sinister valley
- Humanoid robots <TAG1> modern androids like Sophia or Ameca have realistic facial expressions, but still seem a little – not like that«. Their movements are sometimes too smooth or, on the contrary, sharp, which causes an eerie feeling.
- Animated films <TAG1> in the 2000's studios started experimenting with photorealistic computer animation and this was not always successful. For example, characters from movies The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007) or Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) look realistic, but at the same time their eyes seem «empty» and their facial expressions are not alive enough, which causes discomfort.
- Video games <TAG1> the more realistic the graphics become, the more likely they are to get into the sinister valley. For example, early CGI models of people in LA. Noire (2011) looked both impressive and frightening because of the strange facial expressions.
- Wax figures <TAG1> they perfectly reproduce a person's appearance, but due to a still look and lack of live facial expressions, many people feel discomfort from them.
- Masks and dolls <TAG1> japanese theatrical masks But or realistic dolls often fall into the zone of an ominous valley. They seem «alive», but something about them makes us wary.
How do people deal with the sinister valley effect?
Modern designers and developers try to avoid this effect using several approaches:
✔ Less realism, more stylization <TAG1> cartoon or slightly simplified characters (such as Pixar characters) are much better received than hyperrealistic CGI models.
✔ Improved animation <TAG1> if the character or robot looks realistic but moves naturally, fear decreases.
✔ Focus on eyes and facial expressions <TAG1> the most disturbing effect occurs when a character has a – empty«or inanimate gaze. Therefore, in new models, they try to pay more attention to eye movement and facial expressions.
Will the sinister valley disappear?
With the rise of AI and robotics technologies, the sinister valley effect may gradually disappear once robots and CGI become so realistic that they no longer cause us cognitive dissonance. But for now, this phenomenon remains an important challenge for the film, gaming, animation and robotics industries.
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