Smiling and use of first-name by a healthcare receptionist robot: Effects on user perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours

Abstract

AbstractRobots are now starting to be developed and used as receptionists in health applications. In this regard, it is important that robots’ behavioural skills are developed and researched so that people have appropriate and comfortable interactions. Smiling and use of first name are two more important social communication skills used during human interactions. While smiling and use of first name are often employed by robots in human interactions, the effect of these behaviours on perceptions of receptionist robots has not yet been experimentally investigated. This study explored the effects of robot smiling and robot use of the participant’s first name on perceptions of robot friendliness, mind, and personality, as well as attitudes and smiling behaviour. Forty participants interacted with a medical receptionist robot four times, in a two by two repeated measures design. Both smiling and use of first name had significant positive effects on participants’ perceptions of robot personality. Robot smiling also showed significant effects on participants’ overall attitudes towards robots, ratings of robot friendliness, and perceptions of the robot’s mind, and increased the frequency of participants’ own smiling. There were no significant interaction effects. Robot smiling in particular can enhance user perceptions of robots and increase reciprocal smiling.