Chapter 8 - The role of risk in human-robot trust

Abstract

A crucial, but under-considered, component of trust is risk, including such concepts as the potential for real negative outcomes, the willingness to be vulnerable to another party, and relying on another party to perform a task important to the trustor. The careful consideration of risk informs us about what really drives trust formation and degradation that can occur through human-robot interactions (HRIs). The involvement of risk in human-robot trust research adds ecological and construct validity to the work. This chapter provides a foundational understanding of the role risk generally plays in trust (both from a human-human and a human-robot perspective), and provides insight into some specific categories of risk that especially impact trust in the HRI domain.