Effects of Eye Structure and Color on Attributions for Intelligent Agents

Participants rated machine “faces” which varied in terms of facial feature shape, whether the eyes had a pupil or not, and seven eye colors (blue, green, orange, pink, red, purple, or yellow). Ratings were made for aggression, friendliness, intelligence, trustworthiness, and degree of animation. Faces with eyes that had a discernable pupil were rated most positively, as were those with round features, suggesting that minimal features that evoke “humanness” are important for establishing trust. When eyes contained red, however, faces were rated much more negatively. Color schemas appear to override anthropomorphic schemas of humanness when conflicting cues are present. Implications for the design of intelligent agents are discussed.