Post 1 Almost Human: Reflections from the Uncanny Valley

 

1.The Uncanny Valley refers to the eerie or unsettling feeling people often experience when they encounter something that appears almost human, but not quite. This reaction typically occurs with hyper-realistic robots, CGI characters, or avatars that closely resemble humans but contain subtle imperfections in appearance or movement. These small inconsistencies can trigger discomfort because they disrupt our expectations of how a human should look or behave.

One theory behind this phenomenon is that it's rooted in evolution. From a survival standpoint, early humans may have been conditioned to avoid things that looked sick, dead, or otherwise unnatural, as these could signal danger or disease. As a result, we may feel a natural aversion to things that resemble humans but display slight abnormalities, such as distorted facial features or unnatural body proportions.

A strong example of this for me is the film Cats. The characters in the movie had human-like faces combined with feline bodies, and the result was deeply unsettling. Many people found the visuals creepy because the characters didn’t fully resemble either humans or animals, making it hard to relate to them in a comfortable way. The video from Chapter 8 also highlights this phenomenon through the character Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. While Gollum moves and expresses himself like a human, his appearance—especially his skin tone and body proportions—breaks the illusion and creates a disturbing effect.

Another aspect of the uncanny valley is the confusion it causes about how we should relate to these almost-human figures. Because they resemble people, we may feel a natural urge to empathize with them. However, when they fail to meet our expectations of human behavior or appearance, it can create an emotional conflict. We’re unsure whether to respond with compassion, fear, or avoidance, which only adds to the discomfort.

YouTube. (2014, June 19). What is the Uncanny Valley? | Mashable explains. YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aYuBDkto2Vk