When do individuals choose care robots over a human caregiver? Insights from a laboratory experiment on choices under uncertainty

Demographic changes and a predicted shortage of nursing staff are progressively putting pressure on the healthcare system. Care robots may represent one part of a possible solution to this problem as they can assist care work. However, large parts of the population are reportedly skeptical about robotics in care, and field studies are difficult to conduct due to the low prevalence of real robotics in the field. Therefore, we follow an experimental approach pertaining to the question of individual decision-making. In this regard, we analyze the aspects that influence the individual’s choice between a care robot and a human caregiver for assistance in their daily life. Our economic experiment is conducted in a virtual laboratory to examine specifically how quality uncertainty of care affects individual’s decisions for and against robotic care. In the experiment, 162 participants fully completed the experiment in which they were asked to repeatedly choose between a human caregiver and a care robot. Our results reveal that, overall, the care robot is chosen more often than a human caregiver. At the same time, the quality uncertainty of care linked to a human caregiver barely affected the choice of participants. On the other hand, a participant’s health status and their attitude toward direct interactions with care robots did partially affect their choice. Additionally, we explored causes for indecisiveness and its effect on the choice. Here, we found indecisive participants tending to choose a human caregiver more often.