Niqi Liu

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About

Niqi Liu is a researcher whose work bridges cognitive psychology and human-computer interaction, with a primary focus on how emotional information is processed in non-realistic visual stimuli. Her most-cited paper, "The Influence of Key Facial Features on Recognition of Emotion in Cartoon Faces" (2021, 17 citations), addresses a critical gap in understanding how people interpret emotions in stylized, non-human faces—a topic increasingly relevant given the ubiquity of cartoon avatars in social media, animation, and social robotics. By systematically manipulating facial features, Liu’s research reveals the specific mechanisms that allow viewers to accurately decode emotions from simplified or exaggerated expressions, offering insights that can improve the design of more emotionally intelligent social robots and user interfaces. Her work has been cited in fields ranging from affective computing to developmental psychology, underscoring its interdisciplinary impact. Liu’s contributions are particularly notable for their practical implications: by clarifying how key features like eyes and mouth shape influence emotion recognition, her findings can directly inform the creation of more effective and relatable animated characters and robotic systems.