Conveying Emotion with Moving Images: Relationship between Movement and Emotion

We investigated the relationship between movement and conveying emotion with moving images. We developed a software system for generating moving images in which movement is specified with moving effects consisting of a few elements. We prepared eight movements from the Vertex Noise moving effect, which consists of the three elements of speed, density, and strength, by giving each element different values and combined them with still images and sound data to generate moving images that would convey emotions. Subjects looked at moving images without sound and determined whether they felt certain emotions. The results showed the the higher density value affects the conveyance of any emotions with moving images, and strength distinguishes the conveyance of anger from fear and sadness. Anger is the most recognizable emotion, and fear and sadness are difficult to distinguish from movements.