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How to Avoid It
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Think about the animated movies you’ve seen. Did any of them have an animation style that was realistic but, at the same time, ended up making you feel super uneasy? The uncanny valley is a term used to describe the relationship between the human-like appearance of a robotic object and theemotional responseit evokes.
One of the most classic examples is the 2004 moviePolar Express.Video games are a major player in the uncanny valley department too, as are humanoid robots. In this phenomenon, people feel a sense of unease or even revulsion in response to humanoid robots that are highly realistic.
The uncanny valley has implications within the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. Devices and online avatars that are made to mimic the human experience may actually end up alienating people who are using such tools.
At a GlanceAndroids, avatars, and animations aim for extreme realism but get caught in a disturbing chasm dubbed the uncanny valley. They are very realistic and lifelike—but when we examine them, we see they are notquitehuman. When a robotic or animated depiction lies in this “valley,” people tend to feel a sense of unease, strangeness, disgust, or creepiness.
At a Glance
Androids, avatars, and animations aim for extreme realism but get caught in a disturbing chasm dubbed the uncanny valley. They are very realistic and lifelike—but when we examine them, we see they are notquitehuman. When a robotic or animated depiction lies in this “valley,” people tend to feel a sense of unease, strangeness, disgust, or creepiness.
Origins of the Uncanny Valley
In his work, Mori noted that people found his robots more appealing if they looked more human. However, this only worked up to a certain point. Once the uncanny valley has been reached, people feel uneasy, disturbed, and also sometimesfeel afraid.
In his seminal paper on the topic, Mori explained:
Masahiro Mori, roboticistI have noticed that, in climbing toward the goal of making robots appear human, our affinity for them increases until we come to a valley, which I call the uncanny valley.
Masahiro Mori, roboticist
I have noticed that, in climbing toward the goal of making robots appear human, our affinity for them increases until we come to a valley, which I call the uncanny valley.
Mori used several examples to clarify this idea. An industrial robot has little human likeness and therefore generates little affinity in observers. A toy robot, on the other hand, has a more human likeness and tends to be more appealing. A prosthetic hand, he noted, tends to lie in this uncanny valley—it can be highly lifelike yet generates feelings of unease.
Uncanny Valley Examples
The uncanny valley has been observed in a variety of contexts, from highly realistic robots to video game characters. Some of the best-known examples of the uncanny valley can be seen in movies. These include:
The Polar Express
TM & © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
The 2004 children’s Christmas movieThe Polar Expressis an example of the uncanny valley effect. The film was made during an era of rapidly evolving computer-generated imagery (CGI) and animation technology but, unfortunately, the tools were yet to be refined. The computer-generated faces are close to lifelike in many ways, but theirfacial expressionsare slightly off and inaccurate in an unsettling way.
Final Fantasy
Square / Columbia Pictures
The 2001 movieFinal Fantasy: The Spirits Withinshowcased some of the most realistic CGI animation at that time. Despite efforts to make the animated characters appear super-realistic, the movie was a flop. Its commercial failure at the box office is often attributed to the uncanny valley. Simply put, people didn’t want to watch the movie because they found the animation disturbing.
Shrek
DreamWorks Animation
Early test screenings of the filmShrekelicited unexpected feelings ofanxiety in childrenin response to the character Princess Fiona. She was simply too lifelike, causing kids to feel unnerved and even frightened, many crying whenever she appeared onscreen.
Based on the responses and feedback, the filmmakers edited Fiona’s appearance before the film’s theatrical release to give her a more cartoon-like appearance and prevent the uncanny valley effect.
Cats
Creative Commons
The 2019 film adaptation ofCatsfeatured humanoid felines that many people found unsettling. While some reportedly found the effect humorous, others reported feeling downright revolted. On social media, many viewers described the film as weird, creepy, and eveninduced nightmares.
The fact that the film relies so heavily on movement may have also played a role in the audience’s reaction. Mori has proposed that the addition of motion can amplify the uncanny valley effect and, in this case, the film includes both human-like movements and cat-like motions that serve to further confuse the viewer.
In these and other examples, being close to human in appearance does not produce affinity with the characters among viewers. When characters fall into the uncanny valley, people instead perceive the characters as cold, vacant, and soulless.
What Causes the Uncanny Valley Effect?
There have been a number of proposed explanations for why people experience the uncanny valley effect, but no consensus has emerged. Some theories suggest that the phenomenon is biological, while others propose cultural explanations. Here are some factors that may play a role.
Ambiguity
Such effects are sometimes exploited to heighten the horror or creepiness in movies.Horror films, for example, often infuse human characteristics into non-human entities including dolls (Annabelle) and clowns (It) to terrify audiences.
Mismatched Elements
This effect does not just hold true for robots, but can also be seen in computer-animations feature people and animals.
Inconsistency
Even in highly realistic depictions, people are adept at spotting the smallest inconsistencies in a robotic or animated humanoid. These relatively minor divergences can make a character go from lifelike to uncanny. In one of Mori’s original examples, a robotic character was seen as unlikeable and creepy when it smiled slightly too slowly.
Survival Response
Mori and others have suggested that the uncanny valley is an aversive, evolved response to the potential threats of death and disease. Because something is human-like but not quite lifelike, it may evoke the same response that people feel when they encounter something that isdead or dying.
Human Behavior and Evolutionary Psychology
Category Uncertainty
Theories also suggest that the uncanny valley may exist due to the difficulty in determining what category an entity belongs to. Human and nonhuman represent two separate and mutually exclusive categories. So, when something approaches a point where it seems to transition from one to the other, it can trigger feelings ofcognitive dissonance.
When people hold conflicting beliefs, they tend to experience feelings of psychological discomfort. In this case, there is a conflict between the belief that an entity is human and the belief that it is not human. Something that looked human might abruptly appear nonhuman, or it may even shift back and forth as the viewer observes it.
The artificial representation is realistic enough to almost fool you into thinking it is alive, but it falls short of reality just enough that it clashes with your expectations of how a real living person would behave.
This mismatch between what you are seeing and your expectations may make you feel ambivalent or even threatened. In other words, it creeps you out.
Research on the Uncanny Valley
While Mori first proposed the theory in 1970, formal empirical investigations did not begin until the mid-2000s. Some research has supported the existence of the valley, although findings of how and why it happens are mixed.
Likeness and Eeriness
A 2013 study examined the relationship between human likeness and eeriness and found evidence supporting the existence of the uncanny valley.The researchers noted a linear relationship between likeness and eeriness when manipulating facial proportions and realism.
Children’s Responses
A 2014 study found that children between the ages of 9 and 11 were also prone to experiencing feelings of uncanniness in response to human-like virtual characters.Virtual human-like characters were seen as being more strange and less friendly.
Interestingly, these feelings of unease were more pronounced in instances where the characters lacked upper facial expression. Startled facial expressions were also more likely to be perceived as uncanny.
Uncanny Valley vs. a Wall
While some research has supported Mori’soriginal hypothesis, others have characterized the phenomenon as more of a cliff or a wall than a valley. In other words, rather than ever rising to the other side of that valley, likeability may simply drop off once a robot reaches a certain degree of realism.
Can It Be Prevented?
Not everyone agrees that the valley itself truly exists. For example, one of the earliest scientific investigations on the phenomenon was conducted in 2005 and concluded that the eerie feeling people experience has more to do with poor design and aesthetics, something that can occur at any level of realism.
While people certainly experience a sense of the uncanny in some cases, this research proposed that the valley could be overcome with good design.
Implications of the Uncanny Valley
The uncanny valley has a number of implications in various fields. These include:
Robotics
As people rely more and more on robotic technology, it is important to design devices that do not create uneasiness or distrust. This is particularly true in the development ofassistive technologiesdesigned to help people with limitations perform tasks and interact with their environments.
People are more likely to be receptive to designs that are both useful and appealing. Designs that fall into the uncanny valley are likely to be poorly received and utilized less frequently.
Digital Avatars
These representations are used in a number of areas, including online customer service andonline therapy. In online therapy, digital representations are often utilized to facilitate virtual communication between therapists and clients, particularly in situations that involve online chat or email communication.
When effectively used, avatars may help promote thetherapeutic relationship. However, overly realistic depictions may interfere with the process.
For example, one study found that robots that look too human-like were often rated as being not only less likable but also less trustworthy, which would pose considerable problems in a therapeutic context since trust is so important to thesuccess of treatment.
Film
Blockbuster films increasingly rely on CGI effects. At the same time, filmmakers have continued to work toward developing realistic computer-generated animations that blend seamlessly and don’t provoke the uncanny valley.
While many animated films are often criticized for their unrealistic depictions of the human form, such as designs featuring overly large eyes and other dramatically exaggerated features, this may be an intentional strategy to avoid the uncanny valley.
Game Design
The uncanny valley can also have an impact on how players react to realistic characters in video games. In some cases, designers may take advantage of the uncanny valley to create a sense of dyspathy for villainous characters.
Chat Bots and AI Are Changing Mental Health Care, Beware
Criticisms of the Uncanny Valley
The uncanny valley concept has also been the subject of some criticism.
Age May Play a Role
Some propose that the phenomenon is more common in older generations while younger people who grew up seeing robotics and CGI effects may be less likely to experience it. Yet research suggests the opposite, that older adults prefer more human-like robots than younger adults.Further research is needed to determine if age might have an effect.
The Effect Is Highly Varied
Other critics have noted that the uncanny valley effect happens in different situations and affects different senses. The heterogeneity suggests that each unique situation where it occurs may have different causes.
Avoiding the Uncanny Valley
As robots become increasingly important in everyday life, researchers and designers are interested in finding ways to create tools that will not fall into the uncanny valley. This may involve making robotic devices even more realistic so they move beyond the valley and appear more likable.
Researchers have also proposed several design principles that may help animators and roboticists avoid uncanny effects. This includes:
Another approach is to develop tools or devices that do not seek to mimic a human appearance. By relying on a non-human design, the device may be more appealing without running into the risk of alienating or even revolting those who interact with robotic devices.
In an interview withWired, Mori stated that while it may be possible to bridge the uncanny valley, he sees no point in trying. Instead, he advocates designing things that stop before they reach the point of uncanniness.
Final Thoughts
More research into the phenomenon of the uncanny valley can provide more information about it, why it happens, and how to overcome it. In an interview withIEEE Spectrum,Mori stated that his original observation was intended to be more of a guideline for designers rather than a scientific statement.
As technology continues to advance, it is possible that robots and digital animations could become so realistic that they blend with reality to the point where people don’t experience discomfort or anxiety. For now, robots, digital avatars, and online animations will continue to become an increasingly common part of everyday life, making it important for designers to consider the audience’s emotional response.
How Many Human Emotions Are There?
16 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kageki N.An uncanny mind: Masahiro Mori on the uncanny valley and beyond.IEEE Spectrum.Mori M, MacDorman K, Kageki N.The Uncanny Valley [From the Field].IEEE Robot Automat Mag. 2012;19(2):98-100. doi:10.1109/MRA.2012.2192811Kunz S.The problem of realism in animated characters: has the uncanny valley been crossed?CONFIA 2015 Proceed. 2015:74-86York J.Hollywood eyes uncanny valley in animation. NPR.McAndrew FT, Koehnke SS.On the nature of creepiness.New Ideas Psychol. 2016;43:10-15. doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2016.03.003Mitchell WJ, Szerszen KA Sr, Lu AS, Schermerhorn PW, Scheutz M, Macdorman KF.A mismatch in the human realism of face and voice produces an uncanny valley.i-Perception. 2011;2(1):10‐12. doi:10.1068/i0415Moosa MM, Ud-Dean SMM.Danger avoidance: An evolutionary explanation of uncanny valley.Biol Theory.2010;5:12-14. doi:10.1162/BIOT_a_00016Burleigh TJ, Schoenherr JR, Lacroix GL.Does the uncanny valley exist? An empirical test of the relationships between eeriness and the human likeness of digitally created faces.Comput Human Behav.2013;29(3):759-771. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.021Tinwell A, Sloan RJS.Childrens' perception of uncanny human-like virtual characters.Comput Human Behav. 2014;36:286-296. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.073Tinwell A, Grimshaw-Aagaard M, Williams A.The uncanny wall.IJART. 2011;4(3):326-341. doi:10.1504/IJART.2011.041485Hanson D.Exploring the aesthetic range for humanoid robots. Semantic Scholar.Rehm IC, Foenander E, Wallace K, Abbott JM, Kyrios M, Thomas N.What role can avatars play in e-mental health interventions? Exploring new models of client-therapist interaction.Front Psychiatry. 2016;7:186. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00186Mathur MB, Reichling DB.Navigating a social world with robot partners: A quantitative cartography of the uncanny valley.Cognition. 2016;146:22-32. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2015.09.008Tu YC, Chien SE, Yeh SL.Age-related differences in the uncanny valley effect.Gerontol. 2020;66(4):382-392. doi:10.1159/000507812Bartneck C, Kanda T, Ishiguro H, and Hagita N. Is the uncanny valley an uncanny cliff?RO-MAN 2007 - The 16th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication. 2007:368-373. doi:10.1109/ROMAN.2007.4415111Katayama L.How robotics master Masahiro Mori dreamed up the ‘uncanny valley’.Wired.
16 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kageki N.An uncanny mind: Masahiro Mori on the uncanny valley and beyond.IEEE Spectrum.Mori M, MacDorman K, Kageki N.The Uncanny Valley [From the Field].IEEE Robot Automat Mag. 2012;19(2):98-100. doi:10.1109/MRA.2012.2192811Kunz S.The problem of realism in animated characters: has the uncanny valley been crossed?CONFIA 2015 Proceed. 2015:74-86York J.Hollywood eyes uncanny valley in animation. NPR.McAndrew FT, Koehnke SS.On the nature of creepiness.New Ideas Psychol. 2016;43:10-15. doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2016.03.003Mitchell WJ, Szerszen KA Sr, Lu AS, Schermerhorn PW, Scheutz M, Macdorman KF.A mismatch in the human realism of face and voice produces an uncanny valley.i-Perception. 2011;2(1):10‐12. doi:10.1068/i0415Moosa MM, Ud-Dean SMM.Danger avoidance: An evolutionary explanation of uncanny valley.Biol Theory.2010;5:12-14. doi:10.1162/BIOT_a_00016Burleigh TJ, Schoenherr JR, Lacroix GL.Does the uncanny valley exist? An empirical test of the relationships between eeriness and the human likeness of digitally created faces.Comput Human Behav.2013;29(3):759-771. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.021Tinwell A, Sloan RJS.Childrens' perception of uncanny human-like virtual characters.Comput Human Behav. 2014;36:286-296. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.073Tinwell A, Grimshaw-Aagaard M, Williams A.The uncanny wall.IJART. 2011;4(3):326-341. doi:10.1504/IJART.2011.041485Hanson D.Exploring the aesthetic range for humanoid robots. Semantic Scholar.Rehm IC, Foenander E, Wallace K, Abbott JM, Kyrios M, Thomas N.What role can avatars play in e-mental health interventions? Exploring new models of client-therapist interaction.Front Psychiatry. 2016;7:186. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00186Mathur MB, Reichling DB.Navigating a social world with robot partners: A quantitative cartography of the uncanny valley.Cognition. 2016;146:22-32. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2015.09.008Tu YC, Chien SE, Yeh SL.Age-related differences in the uncanny valley effect.Gerontol. 2020;66(4):382-392. doi:10.1159/000507812Bartneck C, Kanda T, Ishiguro H, and Hagita N. Is the uncanny valley an uncanny cliff?RO-MAN 2007 - The 16th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication. 2007:368-373. doi:10.1109/ROMAN.2007.4415111Katayama L.How robotics master Masahiro Mori dreamed up the ‘uncanny valley’.Wired.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kageki N.An uncanny mind: Masahiro Mori on the uncanny valley and beyond.IEEE Spectrum.Mori M, MacDorman K, Kageki N.The Uncanny Valley [From the Field].IEEE Robot Automat Mag. 2012;19(2):98-100. doi:10.1109/MRA.2012.2192811Kunz S.The problem of realism in animated characters: has the uncanny valley been crossed?CONFIA 2015 Proceed. 2015:74-86York J.Hollywood eyes uncanny valley in animation. NPR.McAndrew FT, Koehnke SS.On the nature of creepiness.New Ideas Psychol. 2016;43:10-15. doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2016.03.003Mitchell WJ, Szerszen KA Sr, Lu AS, Schermerhorn PW, Scheutz M, Macdorman KF.A mismatch in the human realism of face and voice produces an uncanny valley.i-Perception. 2011;2(1):10‐12. doi:10.1068/i0415Moosa MM, Ud-Dean SMM.Danger avoidance: An evolutionary explanation of uncanny valley.Biol Theory.2010;5:12-14. doi:10.1162/BIOT_a_00016Burleigh TJ, Schoenherr JR, Lacroix GL.Does the uncanny valley exist? An empirical test of the relationships between eeriness and the human likeness of digitally created faces.Comput Human Behav.2013;29(3):759-771. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.021Tinwell A, Sloan RJS.Childrens' perception of uncanny human-like virtual characters.Comput Human Behav. 2014;36:286-296. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.073Tinwell A, Grimshaw-Aagaard M, Williams A.The uncanny wall.IJART. 2011;4(3):326-341. doi:10.1504/IJART.2011.041485Hanson D.Exploring the aesthetic range for humanoid robots. Semantic Scholar.Rehm IC, Foenander E, Wallace K, Abbott JM, Kyrios M, Thomas N.What role can avatars play in e-mental health interventions? Exploring new models of client-therapist interaction.Front Psychiatry. 2016;7:186. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00186Mathur MB, Reichling DB.Navigating a social world with robot partners: A quantitative cartography of the uncanny valley.Cognition. 2016;146:22-32. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2015.09.008Tu YC, Chien SE, Yeh SL.Age-related differences in the uncanny valley effect.Gerontol. 2020;66(4):382-392. doi:10.1159/000507812Bartneck C, Kanda T, Ishiguro H, and Hagita N. Is the uncanny valley an uncanny cliff?RO-MAN 2007 - The 16th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication. 2007:368-373. doi:10.1109/ROMAN.2007.4415111Katayama L.How robotics master Masahiro Mori dreamed up the ‘uncanny valley’.Wired.
Kageki N.An uncanny mind: Masahiro Mori on the uncanny valley and beyond.IEEE Spectrum.
Mori M, MacDorman K, Kageki N.The Uncanny Valley [From the Field].IEEE Robot Automat Mag. 2012;19(2):98-100. doi:10.1109/MRA.2012.2192811
Kunz S.The problem of realism in animated characters: has the uncanny valley been crossed?CONFIA 2015 Proceed. 2015:74-86
York J.Hollywood eyes uncanny valley in animation. NPR.
McAndrew FT, Koehnke SS.On the nature of creepiness.New Ideas Psychol. 2016;43:10-15. doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2016.03.003
Mitchell WJ, Szerszen KA Sr, Lu AS, Schermerhorn PW, Scheutz M, Macdorman KF.A mismatch in the human realism of face and voice produces an uncanny valley.i-Perception. 2011;2(1):10‐12. doi:10.1068/i0415
Moosa MM, Ud-Dean SMM.Danger avoidance: An evolutionary explanation of uncanny valley.Biol Theory.2010;5:12-14. doi:10.1162/BIOT_a_00016
Burleigh TJ, Schoenherr JR, Lacroix GL.Does the uncanny valley exist? An empirical test of the relationships between eeriness and the human likeness of digitally created faces.Comput Human Behav.2013;29(3):759-771. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.021
Tinwell A, Sloan RJS.Childrens' perception of uncanny human-like virtual characters.Comput Human Behav. 2014;36:286-296. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.073
Tinwell A, Grimshaw-Aagaard M, Williams A.The uncanny wall.IJART. 2011;4(3):326-341. doi:10.1504/IJART.2011.041485
Hanson D.Exploring the aesthetic range for humanoid robots. Semantic Scholar.
Rehm IC, Foenander E, Wallace K, Abbott JM, Kyrios M, Thomas N.What role can avatars play in e-mental health interventions? Exploring new models of client-therapist interaction.Front Psychiatry. 2016;7:186. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00186
Mathur MB, Reichling DB.Navigating a social world with robot partners: A quantitative cartography of the uncanny valley.Cognition. 2016;146:22-32. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2015.09.008
Tu YC, Chien SE, Yeh SL.Age-related differences in the uncanny valley effect.Gerontol. 2020;66(4):382-392. doi:10.1159/000507812
Bartneck C, Kanda T, Ishiguro H, and Hagita N. Is the uncanny valley an uncanny cliff?RO-MAN 2007 - The 16th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication. 2007:368-373. doi:10.1109/ROMAN.2007.4415111
Katayama L.How robotics master Masahiro Mori dreamed up the ‘uncanny valley’.Wired.
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