Victoria A. Floerke
Papers
2
Total Citations
119
H-Index
2
About
Victoria A. Floerke is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction and social cognition, whose work critically examines how people perceive and respond to humanlike agents. Her research centers on the psychological mechanisms underlying anthropomorphism and the "uncanny valley"—the unsettling aversion triggered by highly humanlike robots. In her highly cited 2015 paper, "Too Much Humanness for Human-Robot Interaction" (60 citations), Floerke demonstrated that while people generally evaluate humanlike agents positively, excessive humanness can backfire, complicating design assumptions in robotics. Her 2017 study, "Understanding the Uncanny" (59 citations), further advanced the field by identifying two distinct triggers of uncanny aversion: atypical features and category ambiguity. This dual-pathway framework has become foundational for understanding why some humanlike robots provoke discomfort rather than acceptance. Floerke’s work has profound implications for social robotics, AI ethics, and human-computer interaction, shaping how designers balance realism with user comfort. Her insights are essential for students and researchers exploring the delicate boundary between engaging and off-putting humanlike design.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Too Much Humanness for Human-Robot Interaction60 citations · 2015
- 2