Anthropomorphism, Uncanny Valley Flashcards
What is the defintion of Anthropomorphism?
Human tendency to attribute human characteristics, motivations, intentions, or emotions to non-human entities (Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo, 2007)
What human characteristics are given to non-human entities?
motivation, intention, emotion
What types of non-human entities?
objects, animals, plants, abstract concepts (god)
Examples of anthropomorphism
pets, cars, diary
zoomorphism: imagines humans as animals (e.g. teddy bears)
What factors could play a role?
- agent-specific factors: design characteristics (robot)
- user-specific factors: personality (person)
- contextual factors (situation, usecases)
Examples of factors, situations
strong emotions, in need of support/help (emotional vulnerability), loneliness, knowledge of AI systems, life advisor, AI compagnions (girlfriend, death bots, … AI takes role of a human), emotions shown, type of speech (natural language)
What are consequences? (positive examples)
higher trust, engagement, people feel more comfortable, better usability …
What are consequences? (negative examples)
overtrust, social isolaton …
3 key triggers for anthropomorphism
- Elicited agent knowledge
- Effectance motivation
- Sociality motivation
Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo (2007)
explain Elicited Agent Knowledge
People anthropomorphize if they are reminded of what they know about fellow humans,
(e.g. triggered by humanlike design features of the agent)
example: “ChatGPT talks like me, therefore it must have also other characteristics”
explain Effectance Motivation
People anthropomorphize if they are motivated to understand and predict the agent’s behavior, e.g. to interact with it effectively, especially if there is not more technical explanation at hand
explain Sociality Motivation
People anthropomorphize if they have a need for social relation and belonging,
e.g. when they feel lonely (robot hand study case, people who feel very lonely touch glass 7,2x more than people that don’t feel lonely at all, “he wants contact with me”)
3 major consequences of anthropomorphizing non-human entities
- Moral care and concern
- Responsibility
- Social influence
explain the consequence: Moral care and concern
perceiving an agent to have a mind means that agent is capable of conscious experience and should therefore be treated as a moral agent worthy of care and concern
(cf. Gray et al., 2007)
explain the consequence: Responsibility
perceiving an agent to have a mind means that the agent is capable of intentional action
and can therefore be held responsible for its actions (not developers, training data, …)
explain the consequence: Social influence
perceiving an agent to have a mind means that the agent is capable of observing, evaluating, and judging a perceiver, thereby serving as a source of normative social influence on the perceiver
example: AI influencers, hints & recommendations of AI systems become more important, “friend’s” opinions are more important (voting, buying, …)
describe online study: LaMDA AI
people read chat between engineers and LaMDA LLM, after that they fill out a standardised questionnaire. The less prior knowledge people had, the more human-like LaMDA was perceived and more agreement that it’s not ok to turn the AI off if it states that it doesn’t want that. Also more agreement on that LaMDA deserves to have rights that protect it.
What is a “social robot”?
A social robot is an autonomous robot that interacts and communicates with humans by following social behaviors and rules attached to its role
Cuteness in design
- baby scheme: large head, big eyes, round shapes, small body size, clumsy movement, high-pitched voice
- non-verbal cues: head tilts (Mara & Appel, 2015)
Examples for manipulation by “cute robots”
Field study in Belgium (2020):
40 % of employees let a ”cute” robot pass the secure entrance of a Belgian office building (even higher numbers with pizza), revealing a lot of personal information in conversation
What is “The Uncanny Valley”?
hypothesis that as robots become more humanlike, they appear more familiar until a point is reached at which subtle imperfections of appearance make them look eerie
Mori, 1970
Anthropomorphism describes our tendency to attribute human characteristics to …
… non-human entities
Who was the first to use the term “anthropomorphism”?
Xenophanes
According to a recent study, being polite to ChatGPT results in higher-quality responses.
True
Psychologist Sherry Turkle argues that politeness toward AI is “a sign of respect (…) to oneself”
True
The Uncanny Valley describes a linear relationship in which more human-likeness comes with less affinity.
False
It describes a curve in the linear relationship
Masahiro Mori recommended …
… aiming for a moderate degree of human-likeness in robots (should aim for the peak just left of the uncanny valley)
What is NOT assumed a consequence of anthropomorphism according to scientific theroy?
Dehuminization of humans
In an online study by Mara & Appel, humanoid robots were perceived as particulary human-like when they …
… tilted their heads.
Why does politeness improve AI performance?
Polite prompts direct AI to use language and sources that align with credibility and respect
How can politeness toward AI benefit humans?
It preserves civility in human interactions and prevents rudeness from becoming habitual
What is the “Pretty Please” feature introduced by Google Assistant?
A feature encouraging polite language in requests, particularly for children
How does AI influence human social norms?
By integrating into daily life, AI interactions may reshape communication expectations and habits
What is anthropomorphism in the context of AI?
Attributing human-like qualities, such as empathy or moral reasoning, to AI
Why is anthropomorphism risky?
It can lead to false expectations and emotional dependency on AI systems
What is the “A-Frame” approach to interacting with AI?
- awareness of AI limitations
- appreciation of human connections
- acceptance of its constraints
- accountability for outcomes
How can language reinforce anthropomorphism in AI?
Using terms like “thinking” or “understanding” fosters a misleading perception of AI as human-like
How does evolutionary psychology explain the uncanny valley?
Through pathogen avoidance and mortality salience, associating near-human traits with disease or death
What is the violation of expectation hypothesis?
The uncanny feeling arises when an object’s appearance and behaviour do not align with human expectations
How can designers mitigate the uncanny valley?
By focusing on natural movements and avoiding features that fall into the near-human but not fully human range
Why do mismatched appearance and movements amplify the uncanny effect?
They create cognitive dissonance, unsettling the observer
What are generative ghosts?
AI-powered avatars that recreate deceased individuals for interaction.
What ethical challenges do generative ghosts pose?
Privacy violations, emotional manipulation, and parasocial dependency
What is the “second death” in the context of generative ghosts?
The emotional impact of permanently disabling a generative ghost.
How can design mitigate risks associated with generative ghosts?
By implementing consent mechanisms, limiting manipulative features, and incorporating kill switches
Why are generative ghosts controversial?
They blur boundaries between comfort and exploitation, raising moral and practical concerns
Why is anthropomorphism commonly used in AI design?
It enhances usability, fosters emotional connections, and makes systems more intuitive to interact with
What are the risks of over-anthropomorphizing AI?
Over-reliance, emotional manipulation, and the potential for users to misunderstand AI’s true capabilities
How can anthropomorphic AI designs mislead users?
By creating an illusion of understanding, empathy, or autonomy that the AI does not truly possess
What strategies can mitigate the risks associated with anthropomorphism?
Clear communication about AI’s limitations, transparency in design, and ethical considerations
What is the ethical concern of emotional manipulation in anthropomorphic AI?
It may exploit users’ emotions, leading to dependency or misuse of the technology
How does anthropomorphism influence user trust in AI?
It fosters trust by making the AI appear relatable but can lead to misplaced confidence in its capabilities
Why is balancing anthropomorphism and transparency important in AI design?
To maintain usability while ensuring users understand the system’s true nature and limitations
How is the uncanny valley visualized?
Through a graph plotting human likeness on the x-axis and affinity on the y-axis, with a dip representing the uncanny valley
Which objects typically fall into the uncanny valley?
Prosthetic hands, humanoid robots, and other entities that closely mimic humans but have noticeable imperfections
Why does movement intensify the uncanny valley?
Human-like motion can highlight imperfections, making the object appear creepier
What design strategy does Mori propose to avoid the uncanny valley?
Creating intentionally nonhuman designs that evoke positive emotions rather than unease
How does the uncanny valley relate to self-preservation instincts?
The discomfort may arise from an evolutionary mechanism to protect against potential dangers, such as disease or death
How does Mori illustrate the uncanny valley using prosthetic hands?
He describes how realistic prosthetic hands can evoke unease when their artificial nature becomes apparent, especially during movement
What is the significance of the “first peak” in the uncanny valley graph?
It represents entities with moderate human likeness that evoke positive affinity, like toy robots
What role does movement play in the uncanny valley according to Mori?
It can steepen the valley by amplifying the eeriness of near-human entities
How does Mori suggest designers balance human likeness and affinity?
By aiming for moderate human likeness or pursuing entirely nonhuman designs that avoid the uncanny valley
What does Mori believe the uncanny valley reveals about human nature?
It highlights our instincts and emotional responses, providing insight into what makes us human
What is the Three-Factor Theory of Anthropomorphism?
It is a psychological framework explaining anthropomorphism through Elicited Agent Knowledge, Effectance Motivation, and Sociality Motivation
Nicholas Epley, Adam Waytz, and John T. Cacioppo
How does Elicited Agent Knowledge contribute to anthropomorphism?
It involves using human knowledge as a base for interpreting the actions and attributes of nonhuman agents
What is Effectance Motivation in anthropomorphism?
It is the drive to reduce uncertainty and gain predictability, leading to anthropomorphic interpretations of complex agents
How does Sociality Motivation influence anthropomorphism?
It drives people to attribute human-like traits to nonhuman agents to fulfill their need for social connection
What are dispositional influences on anthropomorphism?
Stable personality traits, such as high need for cognition or loneliness, that increase or decrease the likelihood of anthropomorphism
How do situational factors affect anthropomorphism?
Situational variables like unpredictability or perceived similarity to humans enhance anthropomorphic thinking
What role do cultural differences play in anthropomorphism?
Cultures high in uncertainty avoidance are more likely to anthropomorphize to reduce anxiety, while individualistic cultures may anthropomorphize differently than collectivist ones
Why is Effectance Motivation heightened in children compared to adults?
Children face greater environmental uncertainty and rely on anthropomorphism to make sense of their surroundings
How does the need for social connection promote anthropomorphism?
When deprived of human interaction, people anthropomorphize nonhuman agents to simulate social bonds
Why is unpredictability a key situational factor in anthropomorphism?
Unpredictable agents stimulate the need to understand and predict behavior, prompting anthropomorphic attributions
What is the inverse process of anthropomorphism discussed in the article?
Dehumanization, where humans attribute nonhuman traits to other people, reducing empathy and moral concern
How do cultural norms around individualism and collectivism impact anthropomorphism?
Collectivist cultures may anthropomorphize less due to their emphasis on group dynamics, while individualistic cultures may anthropomorphize more to reflect individual agency
What is the uncanny valley?
A concept describing the unease experienced when encountering objects that are almost, but not fully, human-like in appearance
How does the uncanny valley of mind differ from the original uncanny valley?
It focuses on discomfort caused by machines mimicking human cognitive and emotional abilities rather than physical appearances
What traits are central to human distinctiveness?
Higher-order cognition, empathy, creativity, and emotion
Why does the uncanny valley of mind pose a threat to human identity?
It challenges the belief in unique human traits and raises concerns about machines potentially surpassing humans in cognitive tasks
What is mind perception, and why is it relevant to the uncanny valley of mind?
Mind perception is the tendency to attribute mental states to entities; it explains why machines displaying human-like behavior can feel unsettling
What are some symbolic threats posed by the uncanny valley of mind?
Loss of human identity and dominance in the hierarchy of beings
What practical threats arise from AI advancements?
Job displacement and societal transformations due to AI’s growing capabilities
How can ethical frameworks address the challenges posed by the uncanny valley of mind?
By establishing clear guidelines for AI development, focusing on transparency, accountability, and the preservation of human values
Why might advanced AI evoke feelings of inauthenticity in human relationships?
Because interactions with AI lack genuine emotional depth, creating a deceptive sense of connection
What is the role of interdisciplinary discussion in addressing the uncanny valley of mind?
It fosters collaboration across fields to develop comprehensive solutions for ethical and societal challenges posed by advanced AI
How do cultural and philosophical worldviews influence reactions to the uncanny valley of mind?
Societies valuing human uniqueness may perceive AI advancements as more threatening than those with a more integrated view of human-machine collaboration
What is a potential utopian vision of advanced robots mentioned in the article?
Robots as friendly companions, scientific tools, or even replacements for corrupt human leaders
Why is it critical to develop “machine ethics”?
To ensure that AI operates within ethical boundaries, minimizing harm and fostering beneficial outcomes
Why do humans anthropomorphize objects?
Humans anthropomorphize due to cognitive mechanisms like the Theory of Mind, social needs, and familiarity with humanlike behavior.
Who contributed the Three-Factor Theory of anthropomorphism?
Nicholas Epley proposed the Three-Factor Theory, which explains anthropomorphism through appearance, behavior, and social needs.
What are the historical roots of anthropomorphism?
Anthropomorphism has roots in animism and ancient mythology, where humans attributed human traits to gods, animals, and objects.
How does anthropomorphism influence AI usability?
It enhances emotional engagement and trust, making AI systems more approachable and intuitive.
What is the Theory of Mind?
It’s the ability to attribute mental states, like beliefs and desires, to oneself and others, crucial for understanding humanlike AI behavior.
What role do social robots play in AI?
Social robots use anthropomorphic traits to interact with humans, offering companionship and functionality in areas like caregiving and education.
Give an example of anthropomorphic AI in healthcare.
Therapeutic robots like Paro, designed to provide emotional support and companionship to patients, are examples.
How should designers address ethical concerns in anthropomorphic AI?
By balancing functionality with transparency, avoiding deceptive practices, and considering the psychological impact on users.
What advancements are expected in NLP for AI?
Future NLP developments aim for AI systems to hold more natural and contextually aware conversations.
Why is emotional intelligence important in AI?
Emotional intelligence allows AI to recognize, understand, and appropriately respond to human emotions, enhancing interaction quality.
What societal implications might arise from advanced anthropomorphic AI?
These include shifts in job markets, changes in human relationships, and ethical debates about human-AI coexistence.
