Interacting with social robots: The influence of their distinctive cues, behavioral capabilities, and affordances on social interaction and well-being

Abstract

Social robots have the potential to significantly impact human behavior in social settings, presenting both opportunities and challenges. This chapter explores the multifaceted influences of social robots’ cues, behavioral capacities, and affordances on human–robot interactions (HRI) and their implications for human well-being. Social robots employ various cues to engage users, and effective interactions rely on speech and dialogue recognition, visual, audio, and tactile cues, and the ability of robots to move and gesture aids in fusing verbal and non-verbal behaviors. As such, anthropomorphism and helpfulness are pivotal in shaping human perceptions of social robots. Greater anthropomorphism can build rapport and trust, but further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between anthropomorphism, helpfulness, and high-stakes scenarios. The potential benefits of social robots for human well-being are significant, as they can provide emotional support, reduce stress, and help people adopt healthy behaviors. However, it is crucial to balance the advantages and risks of using social robots to complement human interaction rather than replace it.