Abstract
The present research examines how a robot's physical anthropomorphism interacts with perceived ability of robots to impact the level of realistic and identity threat that people perceive from robots and how it affects their support for robotics research. Experimental data revealed that participants perceived robots to be significantly more threatening to humans after watching a video of an android that could allegedly outperform humans on various physical and mental tasks relative to a humanoid robot that could do the same. However, when participants were not provided with information about a new generation of robots' ability relative to humans, then no significant differences were found in perceived threat following exposure to either the android or humanoid robots. Similarly, participants also expressed less support for robotics research after seeing an android relative to a humanoid robot outperform humans. However, when provided with no information about robots' ability relative to humans, then participants showed marginally decreased support for robotics research following exposure to the humanoid relative to the android robot. Taken together, these findings suggest that very humanlike robots can not only be perceived as a realistic threat to human jobs, safety, and resources, but can also be seen as a threat to human identity and uniqueness, especially if such robots also outperform humans. We also demonstrate the potential downside of such robots to the public's willingness to support and fund robotics research.
Highlights
IntroductionRobots have been quite visible in popular culture
For years robots have been quite visible in popular culture
Post-hoc tests using Sidak adjustments for multiple comparisons revealed that participants who saw the android in the video earlier (Geminoid HI-2; M = 4.88; SD = 1.29) perceived robots, in general, to be a greater realistic threat to human jobs, safety, and resources than those who saw the humanoid robot (NAO; M = 4.25; SD = 1.21), but only if they were told that the new generation of robots could outperform humans on various physical and mental tasks, F(1, 305) = 9.63, p =
Summary
Robots have been quite visible in popular culture. This is evident going back decades to classic films, such as Star Wars (1977), Star Trek (1987), Blade Runner (1982), and Terminator (1984), as well as more recent films, including Ex-Machina (2015), Robot & Frank (2012), and Surrogates (2008). While some scientists develop technology to make these advancements possible, others try to understand what factors impact how people think, feel, and behave toward such technology. The present research examines the interactive effect of the following two such factors that impact how people feel about robots and robotics research, including: (a) a robot’s physical anthropomorphism, and (b) its ability relative to humans. Using research from the psychology of intergroup relations, we examine how exposure to robots that vary on these dimensions impact people’s perceptions of robots as posing a realistic threat to humans (i.e., a threat to human physical safety, jobs, and resources), presenting an identity-based threat to humans (i.e., a threat to human identity and uniqueness), and how these factors affect their support or opposition to robotics research
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