A research team at the University of Hamburg has discovered that human images in virtual systems that are perceived as uncanny can activate the immune system. The study, published in the journal “Scientific Reports”, investigated the so-called “uncanny valley effect”. This describes the negative reaction of humans to robots or digital characters, so-called “virtual agents” (VA), which are perceived as uncanny due to unnatural features such as inconsistent proportions or strange posture.

The researchers, led by Dr. Esther Diekhof, human biologist, and Prof. Dr. Frank Steinicke, computer scientist, tested the hypothesis that such deviating features could be interpreted by the brain as signs of disease. To do this, they exposed test subjects to a virtual environment with humanoid VA and then measured the concentration of the antibody secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in saliva, an indicator of immune activity. The results showed that VAs with a deviant appearance triggered an increase in sIgA levels, indicating activation of the immune system.

In comparison, optimized, more human-like VA as well as simple cartoon VA that did not elicit a comparable immune reaction were tested. This observation supports the so-called “pathogen avoidance hypothesis”, according to which the brain perceives deviant characteristics as a potential health threat and activates the immune system to prevent possible infection.

In addition, the researchers asked 66 test subjects about their feelings and the evaluation of the VA. It was found that the evaluations of the different VA groups were hardly different, which indicates that the immune reaction takes place unconsciously. The brain seems to automatically evaluate optical information as a potential danger in order to prevent disease risks.

The study focused on subtle deviations in appearance, especially in the mouth and eye area. The test subjects were asked to make direct eye contact with the VA in a realistic virtual environment and to make them smile, which excluded avoidance behavior. The results showed a correlation between the intensity of the immune response and the degree of immersion in virtual reality. A credibly experienced virtual environment intensified the perceived threat of sinister-looking VA.

The research results provide new insights into the human perception of virtual characters and could have implications for the development of robots and digital systems that are intended to appear as natural and acceptable as possible.

Original Paper:

The uncanny valley effect and immune activation in virtual reality | Scientific Reports

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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