ABSTRACT
The results of my investigation into why we may experience the uncanny in human-like virtual characters featured in games and animation had thus far revealed that we have a more negative response to human-like characters if we perceive a lack of empathy in that character toward others. We may perceive a lack of responsiveness in that character and an inability to show compassion toward others due to a lack of nonverbal communication (NVC) in their upper face, which we rely on to understand how that character is feeling and their likely behaviors. We may be wary of more negative, antisocial personality traits in a character due to their abnormal facial expression as a way to try to hide or conceal more negative emotions, such as insincerity, untrustworthiness or sadness behind a fake smile (Tinwell et al., 2011, Tinwell, Abdel-Nabi and Charlton, 2013). is may be to the extent that we perceive psychopathic tendencies in that character and a lack of concern for others as they fail to demonstrate a convincing startled response to fearful and shocking events (Tinwell, 2014; Tinwell et al., 2013). Recent ndings in neuroscience
and psychology oered support for my psychological evaluation of the uncanny in human-like virtual characters, and in this chapter I discuss how fundamental neurological and physical processes such as mirror neuron activity (MNA) and facial mimicry may be involved in our experience of the uncanny. With reference to work undertaken by neuroscientists such as Dr. Christian Keysers, professor in the social brain at the University Medical Center Groningen, I explore the role that the brain may play in uncanniness in human-like characters.
