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Human- or object-like? Cognitive anthropomorphism of humanoid robots
Alessandra Sacino1, Francesca Cocchella1,2, Giulia De Vita1
1Department of Educational Science, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
Plos One
|July 26, 2022
Summary
Humanoid robots
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Human-robot interaction
- Robotics
Background:
- The cognitive elaboration of humanoid robots is crucial for understanding human-robot interaction.
- Previous research has utilized the inversion paradigm to study social stimulus processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether people cognitively elaborate humanoid robots as human- or object-like.
- To determine if the inversion effect applies to humanoid robot bodies and faces.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments (N = 302) were conducted using the inversion paradigm.
- Participants' cognitive processing of humanoid robot bodies and faces was analyzed.
- The effect of human likeness on cognitive elaboration was examined.
Main Results:
- Humanoid robot full bodies elicited the inversion effect, indicating configural processing similar to humans, irrespective of human likeness.
- Faces of highly human-like robots, but not less human-like ones, were subjected to the inversion effect.
- Cognitive anthropomorphism was observed for highly human-like robot faces.
Conclusions:
- Humanoid robot bodies are processed configurally, akin to human bodies, regardless of their perceived human likeness.
- Cognitive anthropomorphism of robot faces is contingent on their level of human likeness.
- Findings have implications for designing robots and understanding human-robot social cognition.
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