Yuji Kawai
Papers
6
Total Citations
105
H-Index
5
About
Yuji Kawai’s research lies at the intersection of cognitive robotics, developmental psychology, and human-robot interaction, with a central focus on how artificial systems can model and mirror human social cognition. His most influential work, “Emergence of mirror neuron system: Immature vision leads to self-other correspondence” (59 citations), challenges prevailing associative learning models by demonstrating that perceptual immaturity—not just sensorimotor experience—may be key to developing the mirror neuron system (MNS), the neural basis for understanding others’ actions. Kawai further explores how self-organizing visual development in robots can trigger this mirroring capability, offering a novel computational account of early cognitive learning. More recently, his research has shifted toward the social dynamics of human-robot interaction, investigating how people attribute mind, causality, and responsibility to robots during failures. His 2019 study on mind perception in game scenarios (12 citations) and his 2023 work on anthropomorphism-based attribution (11 citations) provide critical insights for designing robots that are both socially intuitive and ethically accountable. Through his interdisciplinary approach, Kawai bridges developmental theory and robotics, advancing our understanding of how machines can learn to perceive, imitate, and interact with humans.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Mind perception and causal attribution for failure in a game with a robot12 citations · 2019
- 4Anthropomorphism-based causal and responsibility attributions to robots11 citations · 2023
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