Consumer’s acceptance of retail service robots: mediating role of pleasure and arousal

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the influence of consumer emotions, specifically pleasure and arousal, on the intention to use retail service robots. Through a survey of 323 people using an online snowball sampling technique and analysis via the PLS-SEM method, it finds that subjective norms, technological self-efficacy, habitual behavior, and attitudes significantly affect users’ intentions. The research notably reveals that pleasure plays a more crucial role than arousal in mediating how consumers’ perceptions impact their willingness to interact with these robots. By integrating the Theory of Reasoned Action, self-efficacy theory, and the PAD model (pleasure, arousal, dominance), the study enhances the understanding of human-robot interaction. It provides actionable insights for businesses, suggesting that emphasizing emotional aspects, particularly pleasure, can be a strategic approach to encourage the adoption of service robots. These insights are valuable for designing marketing strategies and service experiences that effectively increase consumer engagement with robotic technology. Top of Form.