Implicit and explicit learning of socio-emotional information in a dynamic interaction with a virtual avatar

Bibliographic Data

ID21533752
AuthorsAndrei R Costea (0000-0003-0305-8729, Babeș-Bolyai University), Răzvan Jurchiș (0000-0003-3612-2352, Babeș-Bolyai University), Laura Visu-Petra (0000-0001-6905-9279, Babeș-Bolyai University), Axel Cleeremans (0000-0002-9757-5235, Université Libre de Bruxelles), Elisbeth Norman (University of Bergen), Adrian Opre (0000-0002-4041-0659, Babeș-Bolyai University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume87
Issue4
Pages1057-1074
Publication date2023-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0340-0727 • E-ISSN: 1430-2772
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s00426-022-01709-4
PMID36036291
OpenAlexW4293440194
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited59

Implicit learning (IL) deals with the non-conscious acquisition of structural regularities from the environment. IL is often deemed essential for acquiring regularities followed by social stimuli (e.g., other persons’ behavior), hence is hypothesized to play a role in typical social functioning. However, our understanding of how this process might operate in social contexts is limited for two main reasons. First, while IL is highly sensitive to the characteristics of the surface stimuli upon which it operates, most IL studies have used surface stimuli with limited social validity (e.g., letters, symbols, etc.). Second, while the social environment is dynamic (i.e., our behaviors and reactions influence those of our social partners and vice-versa), the bulk of IL research employed noninteractive paradigms. Using a novel task, we examine whether IL is involved in the acquisition of regularities from a dynamic interaction with a realistic real-life-like agent. Participants ( N = 115) interacted with a cinematic avatar that displayed different facial expressions. Their task was to regulate the avatar’s expression to a specified level. Unbeknownst to them, an equation mediated the relationship between their responses and the avatar’s expressions. Learning occurred in the task, as participants gradually increased their ability to bring the avatar in the target state. Subjective measures of awareness revealed that participants acquired both implicit and explicit knowledge from the task. This is the first study to show that IL operates in interactive situations upon socially relevant surface stimuli, facilitating future investigations of the role that IL plays in (a)typical social functioning

Avatar · Cognitive psychology · Facial expression · Human–computer interaction · Social relation · Action Observation and Synchronization · Child and Animal Learning Development · Communication · Computer Science · Face Recognition and Perception · Psychology · Social Psychology

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