Friday 5 June 2009

Psychologists test gender changes in video conversations

June 2009.

Psychologists used software developed by Barry-John Theobald and Iain Matthews to change a person’s gender in real time in on-line video conversations.

The software works by mapping facial features for about 30 key expressions (e.g. smiling, frowning) and translating these into the equivalent for a different face. Similarly the voice can be altered e.g. from male to female. The software works quickly enough to re-map video conversations in real time, in both directions.

Using the software, researchers at three US universities found that in such conversations, body language was more important than gender.

The results are to be published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

The researchers intend to use the software next to compare the relative importance of race and gender.

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