Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses
Abstract Increasing evidence suggests that interlocutors use visual communicative signals to form predictions about unfolding utterances, but there is little data on the predictive potential of facial signals in conversation. In an online experiment with virtual agents, we examine whether facial sig...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85192-y |
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| author | Alexandra K. Emmendorfer Judith Holler |
| author_facet | Alexandra K. Emmendorfer Judith Holler |
| author_sort | Alexandra K. Emmendorfer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Increasing evidence suggests that interlocutors use visual communicative signals to form predictions about unfolding utterances, but there is little data on the predictive potential of facial signals in conversation. In an online experiment with virtual agents, we examine whether facial signals produced by an addressee may allow speakers to anticipate the response to a question before it is given. Participants (n = 80) viewed videos of short conversation fragments between two virtual humans. Each fragment ended with the Questioner asking a question, followed by a pause during which the Responder looked either straight at the Questioner (baseline), or averted their gaze, or accompanied the straight gaze with one of the following facial signals: brow raise, brow frown, nose wrinkle, smile, squint, mouth corner pulled back (dimpler). Participants then indicated on a 6-point scale whether they expected a “yes” or “no” response. Analyses revealed that all signals received different ratings relative to the baseline: brow raises, dimplers, and smiles were associated with more positive responses, gaze aversions, brow frowns, nose wrinkles, and squints with more negative responses. Qur findings show that interlocutors may form strong associations between facial signals and upcoming responses to questions, highlighting their predictive potential in face-to-face conversation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-789c6c0669054ecb91eb424e89251192 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-789c6c0669054ecb91eb424e892511922025-01-12T12:16:59ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-011511910.1038/s41598-025-85192-yFacial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responsesAlexandra K. Emmendorfer0Judith Holler1Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud UniversityDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud UniversityAbstract Increasing evidence suggests that interlocutors use visual communicative signals to form predictions about unfolding utterances, but there is little data on the predictive potential of facial signals in conversation. In an online experiment with virtual agents, we examine whether facial signals produced by an addressee may allow speakers to anticipate the response to a question before it is given. Participants (n = 80) viewed videos of short conversation fragments between two virtual humans. Each fragment ended with the Questioner asking a question, followed by a pause during which the Responder looked either straight at the Questioner (baseline), or averted their gaze, or accompanied the straight gaze with one of the following facial signals: brow raise, brow frown, nose wrinkle, smile, squint, mouth corner pulled back (dimpler). Participants then indicated on a 6-point scale whether they expected a “yes” or “no” response. Analyses revealed that all signals received different ratings relative to the baseline: brow raises, dimplers, and smiles were associated with more positive responses, gaze aversions, brow frowns, nose wrinkles, and squints with more negative responses. Qur findings show that interlocutors may form strong associations between facial signals and upcoming responses to questions, highlighting their predictive potential in face-to-face conversation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85192-ySocial interactionFacial signalsEye gazePreference organization(Dis)affiliative responses |
| spellingShingle | Alexandra K. Emmendorfer Judith Holler Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses Scientific Reports Social interaction Facial signals Eye gaze Preference organization (Dis)affiliative responses |
| title | Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses |
| title_full | Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses |
| title_fullStr | Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses |
| title_short | Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses |
| title_sort | facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses |
| topic | Social interaction Facial signals Eye gaze Preference organization (Dis)affiliative responses |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85192-y |
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