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http://dx.doi.org/10.14695/KJSOS.2021.24.4.3

Uncanny Valley: Relationships Between Anthropomorphic Attribution to Robots, Mind Perception, and Moral Care  

Shin, Hong Im (순천대학교 교양교육원 자유전공학부)
Publication Information
Science of Emotion and Sensibility / v.24, no.4, 2021 , pp. 3-16 More about this Journal
Abstract
The attribution of human traits, emotions, and intentions to nonhuman entities such as robots is known as anthropomorphism. Two studies were conducted to check whether human-robot interaction is affected by anthropomorphic framing of robots. In Study 1, participants were presented with pictures of robots that varied in human similarity in appearance. According to the results, uncanny feelings toward a robot increased with the higher levels of human similarity. Furthermore, as the level of mind attribution increased, participants tended to attribute more humanlike abilities to nonhuman agents. In Study 2, a robot was described as either a machine-like robot or a humanlike robot in a priming story; then, it was examined whether significant differences exist in mind attribution and moral care. The participants tended to perceive robots as more humanlike in the mind attribution when anthropomorphism was used in a robot's behavior, according to the findings. Furthermore, in the condition of increased anthropomorphism, a higher level of moral care could be observed compared with that in the other condition. This means that humanlike appearances may increase uncanny feelings, whereas anthropomorphic attribution may facilitate social interactions between humans and robots. Limitations as well as the implications for future research are discussed.
Keywords
Uncanny Valley; Robot; Anthropomorphism; Moral Care;
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