The future is now? Consumers' paradoxical expectations of human-like service robots

Abstract

The increasing adoption of human-like intelligent robots in various services has raised significant social and ethical concerns about their future implications. This study investigates how consumers' perceptions of the future development of anthropomorphic features in service robots influence their expectations and acceptance of this emerging technology. Focusing on human-like appearance and mind, we utilize the expectancy-value theory to propose a conceptual framework that delves into consumers' paradoxical expectations. Through a survey of 486 participants, we examine how these perceptions, combined with levels of technology anxiety, shape psychological expectations and subsequently impact the willingness to adopt service robots. Our findings highlight that consumers' perceptions and anxiety levels predict paradoxical expectations, which in turn influence acceptance. This study contributes by introducing a novel framework, exploring the human-like mind in robot anthropomorphism, and addressing the intricate interplay between consumers' perceptions and service robots.