Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics

Jan Kolkmeier; Jered Hendrik Vroon; Dirk K.J. Heylen

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1

Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics

Jan Kolkmeier, Jered Hendrik Vroon, Dirk K.J. Heylen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

8 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The Equilibrium Theory put forward by Argyle and Dean, posits that in human-human interactions, gaze and proxemic behaviors work together in establishing and maintaining a particular level of intimacy. This theory has been evaluated and used in Virtual Reality settings where people interact with Virtual Humans. In this study we disentangle the single and joint effects of proxemic and gaze behavior in this setting further, and examine how these behaviors affect the perceived personality of the agents. We simulate a social encounter with Virtual Humans in immersive Virtual Reality. Gaze and proxemic behaviors of the agents are manipulated dynamically while the participants’ gaze and proxemic responses are being measured. As could be expected, participants showed strongest gaze and proxemic responses when agents manipulated both at the same time. However, agents that only manipulated gaze elicited weaker responses compared to agents that only manipulated proxemics. Agents that exhibited more directed gaze and reduced interpersonal distance were attributed higher scores on intimacy related items than agents that exhibited averted gaze and increased interpersonal distance.

Original language	Undefined
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016
Editors	David Traum, William Swartout, Peter Khooshabeh, Stefan Kopp, Stefan Scherer, Anton Leuski
Place of Publication	New York
Publisher	Springer
Pages	1-14
Number of pages	14
ISBN (Print)	978-3-319-47664-3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1
Publication status	Published - 20 Sep 2016
Event	16th International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016 - Los Angeles, United States Duration: 20 Sep 2016 → 23 Sep 2016 Conference number: 16

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher	Springer Verlag
Volume	10011
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	16th International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016
Abbreviated title	IVA
Country	United States
City	Los Angeles
Period	20/09/16 → 23/09/16

Keywords

immersive VR
EWI-27438
Gaze
IR-102921
Virtual Humans
METIS-320896
Proxemics

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1

chp%3A10.1007%2F978-3-319-47665-0_1
open

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1

Cite this

Kolkmeier, J., Vroon, J. H., & Heylen, D. K. J. (2016). Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics. In D. Traum, W. Swartout, P. Khooshabeh, S. Kopp, S. Scherer, & A. Leuski (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016 (pp. 1-14). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 10011). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1

Kolkmeier, Jan ; Vroon, Jered Hendrik ; Heylen, Dirk K.J. / Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics. Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016. editor / David Traum ; William Swartout ; Peter Khooshabeh ; Stefan Kopp ; Stefan Scherer ; Anton Leuski. New York : Springer, 2016. pp. 1-14 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

@inproceedings{040a366643e643109f6d14a8dbe143fb,

title = "Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics",

abstract = "The Equilibrium Theory put forward by Argyle and Dean, posits that in human-human interactions, gaze and proxemic behaviors work together in establishing and maintaining a particular level of intimacy. This theory has been evaluated and used in Virtual Reality settings where people interact with Virtual Humans. In this study we disentangle the single and joint effects of proxemic and gaze behavior in this setting further, and examine how these behaviors affect the perceived personality of the agents. We simulate a social encounter with Virtual Humans in immersive Virtual Reality. Gaze and proxemic behaviors of the agents are manipulated dynamically while the participants{\textquoteright} gaze and proxemic responses are being measured. As could be expected, participants showed strongest gaze and proxemic responses when agents manipulated both at the same time. However, agents that only manipulated gaze elicited weaker responses compared to agents that only manipulated proxemics. Agents that exhibited more directed gaze and reduced interpersonal distance were attributed higher scores on intimacy related items than agents that exhibited averted gaze and increased interpersonal distance.",

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Kolkmeier, J, Vroon, JH & Heylen, DKJ 2016, Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics. in D Traum, W Swartout, P Khooshabeh, S Kopp, S Scherer & A Leuski (eds), Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 10011, Springer, New York, pp. 1-14, 16th International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016, Los Angeles, United States, 20/09/16. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1

Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics. / Kolkmeier, Jan; Vroon, Jered Hendrik; Heylen, Dirk K.J.

Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016. ed. / David Traum; William Swartout; Peter Khooshabeh; Stefan Kopp; Stefan Scherer; Anton Leuski. New York : Springer, 2016. p. 1-14 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 10011).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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Kolkmeier J, Vroon JH, Heylen DKJ. Interacting with Virtual Agents in Shared Space: Single and Joint Effects of Gaze and Proxemics. In Traum D, Swartout W, Khooshabeh P, Kopp S, Scherer S, Leuski A, editors, Proceedings of the International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents, IVA 2016. New York: Springer. 2016. p. 1-14. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47665-0_1