Effects of robot-human versus robot-robot behavior and entitativity on anthropomorphism and willingness to interact

As robots become prevalent, people are increasingly interacting with multiple robots at once. Thus, it is important to not only examine how robot behavior toward humans affects interaction, but how robot behavior toward other robots affects interaction. We examine this in two studies. In Study 1, 630 participants from the USA and Japan viewed a video of one or more minimally social robots interacting differently towards humans (functionally/socially) and towards robots (single robot/functionally/socially). In Study 2, 71 participants from the USA completed two box-sorting tasks on a team with two robots that behaved differently toward humans (functionally/socially) and toward robots (functionally/socially). Results from the two studies indicate that robot behavior toward robots that was social, compared to functional, increased anthropomorphism of robots. Robot behavior toward humans that was social, compared to functional, increased positive emotions and willingness to interact with them. Finally, in these cooperative contexts between humans and robots, perceptions of robot group cohesiveness or “entitativity” increased positive perceptions or willingness to interact with robots. When robots are designed for positive human interaction (e.g., computer), they should behave socially toward humans; when robots should be considered intelligent (e.g., tutor robots), they may best be designed as social toward robots as well. •Social robot behavior toward robots increased anthropomorphism of robots.•Social robot behavior toward humans increased positive responses toward robots.•Perceived robot group entitativity increased positive responses toward robots.