Dynamics of negative attitudes and anxiety toward interaction with humanoid robot: an experimental study

Abstract

Background. The introduction of robotic technologies into various aspects of life and activity inevitably raises questions about human-robot interaction and attitudes toward robots as participants in these interactions. Currently, there are few experimental studies examining the dynamics of attitudes toward robots during real-world interactions.

Objectives. The study had its purpose to investigate the impact of interaction with a social robot VitruBot and the influence of interaction format (professional, free, and observational) on the dynamics of negative attitudes and anxiety toward robots.

Study Participants. The study involved 106 participants (80 in the experimental group and 26 in the control group), all of whom were practicing doctors (M = 39.5 years, SD = 8.7).

Methods. The study consisted of both an experimental and a survey component. In the experimental component, participants in the experimental group interacted with the social robot VitruBot across three formats: professional, free, and observational, and subsequently completed questionnaires. Participants in the control group took part only in the survey. The study implemented the Negative Attitude Toward Robots Scale and the Anxiety Scale Toward Robots.

Results. The analysis of experimental data demonstrated: as a result of interaction with the VirtuBot, the negative attitude towards such interaction increases, while the assessment of the social influence of robots and the emotional aspects of interaction with them improves. Interaction with a robot also increases anxiety regarding the communicative characteristics of both the robot and the person interacting with it. The professional format of human-robot interaction helps to reduce the emotional and behavioral components of the negative attitudes to robots. The formats of free communication with robots and observation of the human-robot interaction increase the negative attitudes to robots and anxiety about interaction with them.

Conclusions. Interaction with robots contributes to a reduction of negative attitudes toward them but increases anxiety about interaction with robots in general. The format of interaction—whether professional, free, or observational—emerges as a significant factor influencing changes in the negative attitudes and anxiety associated with human-robot interactions. The presented experimental study expands our understanding of the specifics of attitudes towards robots, positive and negative perceptions of them, and describes the dynamics of attitudes towards robots during direct interaction with them.

References

Abramov, R.N., Katechkina, V.M. (2022). Social aspects of human-robot interaction: an experimental study. Zhurnal sociologii i social'noj antropologii = Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 25(2), 214–243. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31119/jssa.2022.25.2.9

Akmaev, V.A. (2022). Psychometric indicators and modification of the Negative Attitude Toward Robots (NARS) methodology. Psihologicheskij zhurnal = Psychological Journal, 43(6), 76–84. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31857/S020595920023645-5

Bartneck, C., Nomura, T., Kanda, T., Suzuki, T., & Kato, K. (2005). A cross-cultural study on attitudes towards robots. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35929.11367

Björling, E., Xu, W., Cabrera, M., Cakmak, M. (2019). The effect of interaction and design participation on teenagers’ attitudes towards social robots. 28th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN) (October 14–18, 2019). (pp. 1–7). New Delhi: IEEE Publ.

Bloch, M., Fernandes, A. (2023). Comparison of attitudes towards robots of different population samples in Norway. Companion of the 2023 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (March 13–16, 2023). (pp. 576–579). New York: Association for Computing Machinery Publ.

Cai, J., Sun, Y., Niu, C., Qi, W., Fu, X. (2023). Validity and reliability of the Chinese version of Robot Anxiety Scale in Chinese adults. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, (40), 3355–3364. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2188535

Fernandez-Llamas, C., Conde, M.A., Rodríguez-Lera, F.J., Rodríguez-Sedano, F.J., García, F. (2018). May I teach you? Students' behavior when lectured by robotic vs. human teachers. Computers in Human Behavior, (80), 460–469.

Huang, H., Cheng, L., Sun, P., Chou, S. (2021). The effects of perceived identity threat and realistic threat on the negative attitudes and usage intentions toward hotel service robots: The moderating effect of the robot’s anthropomorphism. International Journal of Social Robotics, (13), 1599–1611. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-021-00752-2

Ignatiev, V.I., Spiridonova, K.I. (2022). Human-social robot interaction: overcoming barriers to hybrid communication. Diskurs = Discourse, 8(6), 101–115. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.32603/2412-8562-2022-8-6-101-115

Li, Y., Sato-Shimokawara, E., Yamaguchi, T. (2021). Investigation of perception towards robot expressions considering attitude and personality. Journal of Japan Society for Fuzzy Theory and Intelligent Informatics, 33(4), 777–786. https://doi.org/10.3156/jsoft.33.4_777

Meyer, L., Araiza-Illan, G., Rachman, L., Gaudrain, E., Başkent, D. (2023). Evaluating speech-in-speech perception via a humanoid robot. Frontiers in Neuroscience, (18), 1293120. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2024.1293120

Mlakar, I., Smrke, U., Flis, V., Kobilica, N., Horvat, S., Ilijevec, B., Musil, B., Plohl, N. (2024). Using structural equation modeling to explore patients’ and healthcare professionals’ expectations and attitudes towards socially assistive humanoid robots in nursing and care routine. International Journal of Social Robotics, 16(1), 105–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-023-00876-5

Mori, M. (1970). The uncanny valley. Energy, 7(4), 33–35.

Nomura, T., Kanda, T., Suzuki, T., Kato, K. (2008). Prediction of human behavior in human–robot interaction using psychological scales for anxiety and negative attitudes toward robots. IEEE Transactions on Robotics, (24), 442–451. https://doi.org/10.1109/TRO.2007.914004

Saenko, A.Yu. (2024). The relationship between value orientations and satisfaction of the need for safety with the attitude towards robots in people of different generations. Teoreticheskaya i eksperimental'naya psihologiya = Theoretical and Experimental Psychology, 17(1), 49–69. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.11621/TEP-24-03

Shen, J., Tang, G., Koyama, S. (2022). Negative attitudes towards robots vary by the occupation of robots. 9th International Conference on Kansei Engineering and Emotion Research (September 6–8, 2022). (pp. 517–522). Barcelona: KEER Publ.

Strait, M., Floerke, V., Ju, W., Maddox, K., Remédios, J., Jung, M., Urry, H. (2017). Understanding the uncanny: Both atypical features and category ambiguity provoke aversion toward humanlike robots. Frontiers in Psychology, (8), 1366. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01366

Syrdal, D.S., Dautenhahn, K., Koay, K.L., Walters, M.L. (2009). The Negative Attitudes Towards Robots Scale and reactions to robot behaviour in a live human-robot interaction study. In Adaptive and Emergent Behaviour and Complex Systems: Proceedings of the 23rd Convention of the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour (AISB 2009) (April 6–9, 2009). (pp. 109–115). Edinburgh: Heriot-Watt University Publ.

Szabó, B., Őrsi, B., Csukonyi, C. (2024). Robots for surgeons? Surgeons for robots? Exploring the acceptance of robotic surgery in the light of attitudes and trust in robots. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 45.

Xia, Y., LeTendre, G. (2020). Robots for future classrooms: A cross-cultural validation study of “Negative Attitudes Toward Robots Scale” in the U.S. context. International Journal of Social Robotics, (13), 703–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-020-00669-2