research
The Clone Felt More Real When It Nodded
Backchannels and head movements increased perceived attentiveness and co-presence in a 35-person study.
Summary
Backchannels and head movements increased perceived attentiveness and co-presence in a 35-person study.
Researchers added real-time verbal backchannels and predicted head nods to an avatar that already used voice cloning and language-model responses. In a within-subjects study with 35 participants, those listening behaviors significantly increased ratings of attentiveness, resemblance to the real person and co-presence. The small study measures perception in a particular clone setup; it does not establish broader psychological or social effects.
Why it matters
Backchannels and head movements increased perceived attentiveness and co-presence in a 35-person study.
Limits and context
- The small study measures perception in a particular clone setup; it does not establish broader psychological or social effects.
Key claims
Backchannels and head movements increased perceived attentiveness and co-presence in a 35-person study.
Qualification: The small study measures perception in a particular clone setup; it does not establish broader psychological or social effects.
Evidence: source-2026-08-22-007
Sources
- arXiv preprint 2608.19527arXiv · primary research
Corrections
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