The Interactive Effects of Robot Anthropomorphism and Robot Ability on Perceived Threat and Support for Robotics Research

Abstract

*indicates that both authors contributed equallyThe present research examines how a robot's physical anthropomorphism interacts with perceived ability of robots to impact the level of realistic and identity threat that people perceive from robots and how it affects their support for robotics research. Experimental data revealed that participants perceived robots to be significantly more threatening to humans after watching a video of an android that could allegedly outperform humans on various physical and mental tasks relative to a humanoid robot that could do the same. However, when participants were not provided with information about a new generation of robots' ability relative to humans, then no significant differences were found in perceived threat following exposure to either the android or humanoid robots. Similarly, participants also expressed less support for robotics research after seeing an android relative to a humanoid robot outperform humans. However, when provided with no information about robots' ability relative to humans, then participants showed marginally decreased support for robotics research following exposure to the humanoid relative to the android robot. Taken together, these findings suggest that very humanlike robots can not only be perceived as a realistic threat to human jobs, safety, and resources, but can also be seen as a threat to human identity and uniqueness, especially if such robots also outperform humans. We also demonstrate the potential downside of such robots to the public's willingness to support and fund robotics research.Keywords: human-robot interaction, anthropomorphism, ability, threat, uncanny valley Yogeeswaran et al., Robot Anthropomorphism and Performance 30 IntroductionFor years now, robots have been quite visible in popular culture. This is evident going back decades to classic films, such as Star Wars (1977), Star Trek (1987), Blade Runner (1982), and Terminator (1984, as well as more recent films, including Ex-Machina (2015), Robot & Frank (2012), and Surrogates (2008). However, recent technological advancements have turned what was once an imaginative creation of Hollywood into an impending reality. While robots already play an active role in patient care, factories, and military operations, prominent roboticists (Kiesler & Hinds, 2004) argue that robots will soon become fully integrated into human society, in what is dubbed the 'robot revolution' (Ripley, 2014;Stewart, 2011). Robots are expected to serve with an increasing presence in our homes, healthcare, elderly care, rescue operations, and combat. Currently, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent worldwide on robotics research to design these technologies. However, despite scientific advances to create the technology, questions remain about the acceptance of robots by the general public. While some scientists develop technology to make these advancements possible, others try to understand what factors impact how people think, feel, and behave toward such technology. The present research examines ...

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