Egocentric Robots in a Human-Centric World? Exploring Group-Robot-Interaction in Public Spaces

TL;DR

This study investigates how the number of participants in group-robot interactions affects perceptions of robot extraversion in public spaces, highlighting the importance of social dynamics understanding for effective HRI.

Contribution

It explores the impact of dyadic versus triadic interaction conditions on perceived robot extraversion, advancing knowledge on social dynamics in group-robot interactions.

Findings

Triadic interactions influence perceived robot extraversion.

Group size affects social perception of robots.

Research highlights importance of social norms in HRI.

Abstract

The deployment of social robots in real-world scenarios is increasing, supporting humans in various contexts. However, they still struggle to grasp social dynamics, especially in public spaces, sometimes resulting in violations of social norms, such as interrupting human conversations. This behavior, originating from a limited processing of social norms, might be perceived as robot-centered. Understanding social dynamics, particularly in group-robot-interactions (GRI), underscores the need for further research and development in human-robot-interaction (HRI). Enhancing the interaction abilities of social robots, especially in GRIs, can improve their effectiveness in real-world applications on a micro-level, as group interactions lead to increased motivation and comfort. In this study, we assessed the influence of the interaction condition (dyadic vs. triadic) on the perceived extraversion (ext.) of social robots in public spaces. The research involved 40 HRIs, including 24 dyadic (i.e., one human and one robot) interactions and 16 triadic interactions, which involve at least three entities, including the robot.