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Social robots: a meta-analysis of learning outcomes.
J C F de Winter1, D Dodou1, F Moorlag1
1Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
|April 8, 2026
Summary
Social robots enhance cognitive skill learning, particularly when acting as a teaching assistant rather than a replacement for human instructors. The effectiveness of social robots in education depends on their implementation and the control group used for comparison.
Area of Science:
- Educational Technology
- Human-Robot Interaction
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Previous meta-analyses indicate social robots can aid learning.
- Existing research often lacks specificity regarding control conditions and robot roles.
- A nuanced understanding of social robot effectiveness in education is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis on learning outcomes associated with social robots for cognitive skill training.
- To specifically examine the influence of different control conditions on reported effect sizes.
- To investigate how the robot's role (e.g., co-teaching vs. replacement) impacts learning outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic retrieval of 146 studies using physical social robots for cognitive skill training.
- Calculation of 183 post-test and 372 pre-post effect sizes comparing robot to control groups.
- Analysis of 78 studies with defined control groups, categorizing robot roles and control types.
Main Results:
- Social robots generally improved learning outcomes across studies.
- The most significant gains were observed when robots were compared to no-training control groups (d = 0.75).
- Robots in a co-teaching role demonstrated strong positive effects (d = 0.88), whereas those replacing teachers showed no benefit (d = -0.06).
Conclusions:
- The effectiveness of social robots in education is significantly influenced by their implementation strategy and the chosen control condition.
- Co-teaching roles appear most beneficial for social robot integration in cognitive skill training.
- Future research should carefully consider control group design and robot function to accurately assess impact.
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