Georgia Giffin 

My thesis explores how robots as portrayed in film and visual media are represented under a broad set of definitions, the ways in which we as audience members can relate to and empathise with these characters who are commonly defined as ‘inhuman’’ gives insight into a human’s ability to empathise on a cognitive level. On top of this, robots’ presentations range from human-adjacent to completely machine-like, eliciting different responses. Anthropomorphism, the Uncanny Valley, and Narrative Empathy all affect us subconsciously, it can be argued that the more ‘nonhuman’ robot characters are, the more effective they can be at achieving connection (given there is enough characterising behaviour present) especially when it comes to animated robots like Wall-E. Robots in Science-Fiction influence the real-world field of robotics, which in turn influences further fiction. Understanding people’s unique relationship with this type of character gives insight to the powerful cultural impact they consistently have both today and throughout film history.