Social Robots for People Living with Dementia: A Scoping Review on Deception from Design to Perception

TL;DR

This review examines how social robot design influences deception perceptions among dementia patients, highlighting ethical concerns and the need for clearer definitions and understanding of deception in human-robot interactions.

Contribution

It identifies key design cues linked to deception and proposes a dual-process model to better understand cognitive mechanisms behind perceived deception in dementia care.

Findings

Three key design cue categories may contribute to deception

Six patterns in patient responses reveal perception and response trends

Existing literature lacks definitive evidence on specific deception-inducing cues

Abstract

As social robots are increasingly introduced into dementia care, their embodied and interactive design may blur the boundary between artificial and lifelike entities, raising ethical concerns about robotic deception. However, it remains unclear which specific design cues of social robots might lead to social robotic deception (SRD) in people living with dementia (PLwD), and which perceptions and responses of PLwD might indicate that SRD is taking place. To address these questions, we conducted a scoping review of 26 empirical studies reporting PLwD interacting with social robots. We identified three key design cue categories that might contribute to SRD and one that might break the illusion. However, the available literature does not provide sufficient evidence to determine which specific design cues lead to SRD. Thematic analysis of user responses reveals six recurring patterns in how PLwD perceive and respond to social robots. However, conceptual limitations in existing definitions of robotic deception make it difficult to identify when and to what extent deception actually occurs. Building on the results, we propose a dual-process interpretation that clarifies the cognitive basis of false beliefs in human-robot interaction and distinguishes SRD from anthropomorphism or emotional engagement.