Age-related changes in gaze behaviour during social interaction: An eye-tracking study with an embodied conversational agent

Previous research has highlighted age-related differences in social perception, particular emotional expression processing. To date, such studies have largely focused on approaches that use static stimuli the participant to identify passively without possibility of any interaction. In this study, we propose an interactive virtual environment better address variations and perception. A group 22 young (18–30 years) 20 older (60–80 adults were engaged a face-to-face conversation with embodied conversational agent. Participants invited interact naturally agent his facial expression. Their gaze behaviour was captured by eye-tracking device throughout We also explored whether Big Five personality traits (particularly extraversion) anxiety modulated during Findings suggested only apparent when decoding signals (i.e., listening partner’s question, identifying expressions) not communicating information speaking). Furthermore, higher extraversion levels consistently led shorter amount time gazing towards eyes, whereas slight modulations participants questions. Face-to-face agents can provide more naturalistic framework for assessment online socio-emotional interaction adults, which is easily observable classical offline paradigms. This study provides novel important insights into specific circumstances may experience difficulties interactions.