Shuyuan Feng
Papers
1
Total Citations
50
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Shuyuan Feng is a leading researcher in developmental cognitive neuroscience, with a primary focus on the intersection of social cognition, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and human-robot interaction. Her most-cited work, "The uncanny valley effect in typically developing children and its absence in children with autism spectrum disorders" (2018, 50 citations), is a landmark study that fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how children with ASD perceive and respond to human-like agents. By systematically varying the realism of robots and virtual characters, Dr. Feng demonstrated that typically developing children exhibit the classic uncanny valley response—a dip in affinity toward nearly human-like entities—while children with ASD do not, suggesting a unique perceptual processing of social cues. This finding has profound implications for designing effective, engaging assistive technologies and interventions for ASD populations. Her research bridges cognitive science, robotics, and clinical practice, offering critical insights into how atypical social cognition can inform technology design. Dr. Feng’s work continues to influence both theoretical models of social perception and the practical development of socially assistive robots, making her a pivotal figure in the growing field of autism technology research.
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Top Papers
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