Kyna Sahni

How is the uncanny valley different in adults and children, and how will adults in the future show uncanny valley?

Started July 13, 2023

Abstract or project description

The “Uncanny Valley” theory was proposed by Masahiro Mori in 1970, suggesting that humanoids and animated figures become lifelike, which at some point becomes unsettling and provides feelings of uneasiness. While there have been many studies done on this topic, there is a significant gap in understanding how the Uncanny Valley may manifest in children and how future generations of adults might be affected by this. This research study addresses these questions through a comprehensive examination of the Uncanny Valley on adults and children, while also focusing and making predictions on future adult perception. It is our prediction that children, who are introduced to rapidly growing technology, will have varying sensitivities to the Uncanny Valley compared to adults. Adults are predicted to be more sensitive to these lifelike humanoids and animations. Furthermore, we predict that the boundaries surrounding the Uncanny Valley will expand as technology continues to advance. The advancement in technology will create some kind of normalcy for future adults, changing the definition of The Uncanny Valley.