In recent decades, socially assisted robots (SAR) have found applications in various operational contexts where the elicitation of empathy is crucial for facilitating human-robot interaction, as it plays a pivotal role in building trust and rapport. However, a significant challenge lies in the complexity of empathy, as there is no universally applicable method for its elicitation. Different individuals express and experience empathy in diverse ways. This study delves into the factors that impact the level of empathy evoked by a social robot, measured through user perceptions gauged by standard questionnaires. An empirical mixed-design study involving 28 participants was conducted, utilizing a Furhat robot with either an ironic (empathetic) or apathetic (non-empathetic) identity during verbal interactions with users. The primary objective of this research is to explore the user perception of a robot with or without a specific personality, with a particular focus on the empathetic personality, known to enhance Theory of Mind (ToM). The investigation aims to discern the extent to which users’ perceptions are influenced by the personality of the robot and whether this influence varies based on the personalities of the users themselves.
Emphasizing with a Robot with a Personality
Francese R.
2024-01-01
Abstract
In recent decades, socially assisted robots (SAR) have found applications in various operational contexts where the elicitation of empathy is crucial for facilitating human-robot interaction, as it plays a pivotal role in building trust and rapport. However, a significant challenge lies in the complexity of empathy, as there is no universally applicable method for its elicitation. Different individuals express and experience empathy in diverse ways. This study delves into the factors that impact the level of empathy evoked by a social robot, measured through user perceptions gauged by standard questionnaires. An empirical mixed-design study involving 28 participants was conducted, utilizing a Furhat robot with either an ironic (empathetic) or apathetic (non-empathetic) identity during verbal interactions with users. The primary objective of this research is to explore the user perception of a robot with or without a specific personality, with a particular focus on the empathetic personality, known to enhance Theory of Mind (ToM). The investigation aims to discern the extent to which users’ perceptions are influenced by the personality of the robot and whether this influence varies based on the personalities of the users themselves.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.