著者

湯浅 将英 斎藤 恵一 武川 直樹

出版者

一般社団法人 電気学会

雑誌

電気学会論文誌C(電子・情報・システム部門誌) (ISSN:03854221)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.127, no.11, pp.1865-1870, 2007-11-01 (Released:2007-11-01)

参考文献数

20

被引用文献数

2 3

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In this paper, we describe that brain activities associated with emoticons by using fMRI. In communication over a computer network, we use abstract faces such as computer graphics (CG) avatars and emoticons. These faces convey users' emotions and enrich their communications. However, the manner in which these faces influence the mental process is as yet unknown. The human brain may perceive the abstract face in an entirely different manner, depending on its level of reality. We conducted an experiment using fMRI in order to investigate the effects of emoticons. The results show that right inferior frontal gyrus, which associated with nonverbal communication, is activated by emoticons. Since the emoticons were created to reflect the real human facial expressions as accurately as possible, we believed that they would activate the right fusiform gyrus. However, this region was not found to be activated during the experiment. This finding is useful in understanding how abstract faces affect our behaviors and decision-making in communication over a computer network.