Can(‘t) Wait to Have a Robot at Home? - Japanese and German Users' Attitudes Toward Service Robots in Smart Homes

Abstract

In the present study, we compared Japanese and German participants' perceptions of social robots. To do so, participants from both cultural backgrounds evaluated two types of service robots designed for use in the smart home context. One of the prototypes featured a rather technical appearance, whereas the other prototype featured a newly designed social robot head. Against our predictions, Japanese and German participants evaluated both robot types similarly. Japanese participants generally showed a stronger tendency to anthropomorphize nonhuman agents and attributed more mind, particularly on the experience dimension, to both robot types than German participants. Nonetheless, Japanese and German participants attributed similar levels of agency to both robot types. Unexpectedly, Japanese participants perceived the robots even as less humanlike than German participants. As predicted, Japanese participants reported less attitudinal robot acceptance and tended to show less trust toward both robot types than Germans. Japanese and Germans indicated similar levels of robot anxiety, perceived uncanniness, and robot likeability. Japanese and German participants generally perceived the robots rather as machines and tools than as human companions. Especially German participants wanted to use the robots for rather safe, boring, and simple tasks that do not require any direct interaction with them. Japanese and German participants were not yet familiar with robots and showed less positive attitudes toward them than widely believed (e.g., [1]). Implications how to gain a more realistic view on users' perceptions of robots to enable a fruitful and comfortable HRI are discussed. *This research was supported by the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology 'CITEC' (EXC 277) at Bielefeld University, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). It is further related to the European Project CODEFROR (FP7-PIRSES-2013-612555). might perceive robots differently: Shinto and Buddhism are prevalent religions in Japan, while German culture is influenced by Christianity. A Shinto legend holds that Japanese islands were formed by two gods who became progenitors of the gods of Shinto religion and of the first Emperor of Japan [3]. This belief resulted in a deep respect for nature, animals, gods, and heroes. Further, Japanese people believe that a soul, humanlike traits, and intentions are inherent in any entity, such as in gods, heroes, animals, and nature. This is also reflected in Japanese popular culture in which various kinds of nonhuman agents, including robots, are presented as having humanlike traits [4]. According to [5], anthropomorphism, the tendency to ascribe human traits to nonhuman agents, helps to understand others' behavior and thus might reduce uncertainty. Accordingly, one might assume that the tendency to anthropomorphize nonhuman agents and the prevalence of robots in Japanese popular culture is linked to more positive evaluations of HRI and less anxiety toward robots than in Western countries. H...

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