Sex care robots

Fosch‐Villaronga, Eduard; Poulsen, Adam

doi:10.1515/pjbr-2020-0001

Cited by 32 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Although we sampled sex doll owners in a broad sense, we did not target any particular subgroup based on the function or circumstances of their doll ownership. Previous qualitative work has reported many motivations for owning a sex doll, including sexual gratification, physical or emotional intimacy, and medical treatment (Eichenberg et al, 2019;Fosch-Villaronga & Poulsen, 2020;Langcaster-James & Bentley, 2018;Morgan, 2009;Valverde, 2012). It might be that those owning a doll specifically for sexual gratification (vs. emotional companionship or health reasons) have a different psychological profile, but our sample is not large enough to conduct such an analysis.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Exploring the psychological characteristics and risk-related cognitions of individuals who own sex dolls

Ca¹,

Lievesley²,

K³

2021

Preprint

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The ownership of sex dolls has become an increasingly controversial social issue over the last five-to-ten years, with many in society (and academia) calling for the criminalization of such dolls. At the root of these calls is the implicit (and often explicit) assumption that sex doll ownership contributes to increases in social objectification of women, and sexual offense risk among doll owners. However, there are yet to be any empirical examinations of these claims. In this work we compare the psychological characteristics of sex doll owners (n = 158) and non-owner controls (n = 135). Contrary to widely held social attitudes, we found no substantive differences in sexual objectification between the two groups. Doll owners typically had more sexual fantasies related to coercion (biastophilia), but lower offense proclivity, than controls. Owners were also more likely to see women as unknowable, have less secure attachment styles, and more stable negative mood. We begin to build a psychological profile of sex doll ownership, before highlighting the need for more evidence-informed social debates about the use of sex dolls in modern society.

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Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Exploring the psychological characteristics and risk-related cognitions of individuals who own sex dolls

Ca¹,

Lievesley²,

K³

2021

Preprint

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“…The outcome may be financial or psychological, such as wellbeing. Research has shown that engaging with AI-powered robots may bring users pleasure (e.g., as a companion for older adults, sex robots) (Chen 2018 ; Fosch-Vilaronga and Poulsen 2020 ; Moyle et al 2013 ). IVAs can also provide services on demand such as finding entertainment for users without the need for compensation or reciprocation.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engaging with intelligent voice assistants for wellbeing and brand attachment

2023

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The study draws upon the theories of self-determination and motivation of expectancy to examine how intrinsic motives drive consumers to engage with artificial intelligence (AI) powered intelligent voice assistants (IVAs). The study also explores how consumer engagement leads to their wellbeing and attachment to these AI gadgets and their associated brands. Engagement in this study refers to consumers’ usage and involvement with IVAs. Subject wellbeing was modeled as a mediator between consumer engagement and brand attachment. The research was conducted in the USA with respondents who had owned and used at least one type of IVAs (e.g., Siri, Google Home, Alexa). A range of statistical procedures including structural equation modeling were undertaken to assess the proposed relationships. The results show that the consumer’s need for autonomy, sense of competence, and relatedness are significantly related to IVA engagement. Consumer wellbeing also had a significant mediation effect on the relationship between engagement and brand attachment. The study is the first to link consumer engagement, individual wellbeing, and brand attachment. The study contributes to positive psychology and branding research by integrating mental health and branding effects. The findings have implications for marketing and psychology practitioners.

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“…Two lines of thoughts best synthetize the issues concerning sexbots. Some arguments in favour of the 'fostering sociality' hypothesis claim that sexbots will help to reduce social and emotional isolation [34], to treat relationship difficulties and erectile dysfunction, and to encourage withdrawn or differently able people to experience intimacy and sexuality, which may otherwise remain remote and unfulfilled needs for them [5]. Studies [35][36][37] suggest that individuals who have some impediments against having a fulfilled sexual life could benefit from sexbots.…”

Section: The Controversial Scientific "Sexbots" Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sexbots are relational artifacts [4] with whom people tend to form emotional bonds [2], and see them as having 'states of mind', so that an understanding of those states enriches human encounters with them. While sexbots have entered the personal lives of people, invaded their psychological imagination, and been involved in professional activities such as rehabilitation, sex care services, and selecting company staff, the meaning of a sexbot is, to a certain extent, still controversial [5,6]. Some controversy surrounds the emotional reactions that sexbots arouse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexbots as Synthetic Companions: Comparing Attitudes of Official Sex Offenders and Non-Offenders

Zara

Veggi

Farrington

2021

Int J of Soc Robotics

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This is the first Italian study to examine views on sexbots of adult male sex offenders and non-offenders, and their perceptions of sexbots as sexual partners, and sexbots as a means to prevent sexual violence. In order to explore these aspects 344 adult males were involved in the study. The study carried out two types of comparisons. 100 male sex offenders were compared with 244 male non-offenders. Also, sex offenders were divided into child molesters and rapists. Preliminary findings suggest that sex offenders were less open than non-offenders to sexbots, showed a lower acceptance of them, and were more likely to dismiss the possibility of having an intimate and sexual relationship with a sexbot. Sex offenders were also less likely than non-offenders to believe that the risk of sexual violence against people could be reduced if a sexbot was used in the treatment of sex offenders. No differences were found between child molesters and rapists. Though no definitive conclusion can be drawn about what role sexbots might play in the prevention and treatment of sex offending, this study emphasizes the importance of both exploring how sexbots are both perceived and understood. Sex offenders in this study showed a high dynamic sexual risk and, paradoxically, despite, or because of, their sexual deviance (e.g. deficits in sexual self-regulation), they were more inclined to see sexbots as just machines and were reluctant to imagine them as social agents, i.e. as intimate or sexual arousal partners. How sex offenders differ in their dynamic risk and criminal careers can inform experts about the mechanisms that take place and can challenge their engagement in treatment and intervention.

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Sex care robots

Cited by 32 publications

References 58 publications

Exploring the psychological characteristics and risk-related cognitions of individuals who own sex dolls

Exploring the psychological characteristics and risk-related cognitions of individuals who own sex dolls

Engaging with intelligent voice assistants for wellbeing and brand attachment

Sexbots as Synthetic Companions: Comparing Attitudes of Official Sex Offenders and Non-Offenders

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