TY - GEN
T1 - Investigating the influence of avatar facial characteristics on the social behaviors of children with autism
AU - Carter, Elizabeth J.
AU - Hyde, Jennifer
AU - Williams, Diane L.
AU - Hodgins, Jessica K.
PY - 2016/5/7
Y1 - 2016/5/7
N2 - Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by unusual social communication and interaction. These traits are often targets for intervention, particularly computer-based interventions (CBIs). We examined whether interactive behaviors in children with autism could be influenced by modifying the facial characteristics of computer avatars and how behavior toward avatars compared to that toward video. Participants spoke with a therapist over a modified videoconferencing system that permitted manipulation of her appearance (i.e., using cartoon or more realistic avatars versus video) and motion (i.e., exaggerating or damping facial movements). We measured the participants' speech, gaze, and gestures. In the first study, we found that the appearance complexity of the avatar did not significantly affect any social interaction behaviors. However, the results of the second study suggest that exaggerated facial motion can improve nonverbal social behaviors, such as gaze and gesture. These findings have implications for character design in CBIs for ASD.
AB - Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by unusual social communication and interaction. These traits are often targets for intervention, particularly computer-based interventions (CBIs). We examined whether interactive behaviors in children with autism could be influenced by modifying the facial characteristics of computer avatars and how behavior toward avatars compared to that toward video. Participants spoke with a therapist over a modified videoconferencing system that permitted manipulation of her appearance (i.e., using cartoon or more realistic avatars versus video) and motion (i.e., exaggerating or damping facial movements). We measured the participants' speech, gaze, and gestures. In the first study, we found that the appearance complexity of the avatar did not significantly affect any social interaction behaviors. However, the results of the second study suggest that exaggerated facial motion can improve nonverbal social behaviors, such as gaze and gesture. These findings have implications for character design in CBIs for ASD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85015012168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85015012168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2858036.2858345
DO - 10.1145/2858036.2858345
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85015012168
T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
SP - 140
EP - 151
BT - CHI 2016 - Proceedings, 34th Annual CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
PB - Association for Computing Machinery
T2 - 34th Annual Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2016
Y2 - 7 May 2016 through 12 May 2016
ER -