Psychological effects of physical embodiment in artificial pet therapy

Abstract

The increase in stress-related problems and the corresponding rapid growth in demand for pet therapy have created a demand for stress-relief methods through interactions with pet robots and virtual pets instead of real animals; however, it is unclear which characteristics of pet robots and virtual pets have therapeutic effects. In this study, we use the temporary mood scale to compare the therapeutic effects produced by a pet robot and a virtual pet, focusing on the effects of the physical interactions enabled by physical embodiment. The pet robot shows significantly lower tension scores and higher vigor scores when compared with the virtual pet. These results suggest that pet robots have a greater therapeutic effect than virtual pets, particularly with regard to their ability to ease tension and increase vigor.