TY - JOUR
T1 - Companion robots to mitigate loneliness among older adults
T2 - Perceptions of benefit and possible deception
AU - Berridge, Clara
AU - Zhou, Yuanjin
AU - Robillard, Julie M.
AU - Kaye, Jeffrey
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 Berridge, Zhou, Robillard and Kaye.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Objective: Given growing interest in companion robots to mitigate loneliness, large-scale studies are needed to understand peoples’ perspectives on the use of robots to combat loneliness and attendant ethical issues. This study examines opinions about artificial companion (AC) robots regarding deception with dementia and impact on loneliness. Methods: Data are from a survey of 825 members of the OHSU Research via Internet Technology and Experience cohort (response rate = 45%). Sixty percent (n = 496) of the age diverse sample (range = 25–88; M = 64; SD = 13.17) is over 64, allowing us to compare across age and consider current and future older adults. Ordinal logistic regressions examined relationships between age, health, and other socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions of impact on loneliness and comfort with deception. Results: Most participants (68.7%) did not think an AC robot would make them feel less lonely and felt somewhat-to-very uncomfortable (69.3%) with the idea of being allowed to believe that an artificial companion is human. In adjusted models, one additional year of age was associated with lower likelihood of perceived benefit of reducing loneliness [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.98; (0.97–0.99), p = 0.003] and lower comfort with deception [OR = 0.99; (0.97–1.00), p = 0.044]. Being female was associated with lower likelihood of comfort with deception [OR = 0.68; (0.50–0.93), p = 0.014] and high confidence using computers with greater comfort [OR = 2.18; (1.42–3.38), p < 0.001]. Discussion: There was not strong support for AC robots to mitigate loneliness. Most participants were uncomfortable with this form of deception, indicating need for design solutions for those who want to avoid this possibility, as well as greater attentiveness to desirability and comfort across age and gender.
AB - Objective: Given growing interest in companion robots to mitigate loneliness, large-scale studies are needed to understand peoples’ perspectives on the use of robots to combat loneliness and attendant ethical issues. This study examines opinions about artificial companion (AC) robots regarding deception with dementia and impact on loneliness. Methods: Data are from a survey of 825 members of the OHSU Research via Internet Technology and Experience cohort (response rate = 45%). Sixty percent (n = 496) of the age diverse sample (range = 25–88; M = 64; SD = 13.17) is over 64, allowing us to compare across age and consider current and future older adults. Ordinal logistic regressions examined relationships between age, health, and other socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions of impact on loneliness and comfort with deception. Results: Most participants (68.7%) did not think an AC robot would make them feel less lonely and felt somewhat-to-very uncomfortable (69.3%) with the idea of being allowed to believe that an artificial companion is human. In adjusted models, one additional year of age was associated with lower likelihood of perceived benefit of reducing loneliness [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.98; (0.97–0.99), p = 0.003] and lower comfort with deception [OR = 0.99; (0.97–1.00), p = 0.044]. Being female was associated with lower likelihood of comfort with deception [OR = 0.68; (0.50–0.93), p = 0.014] and high confidence using computers with greater comfort [OR = 2.18; (1.42–3.38), p < 0.001]. Discussion: There was not strong support for AC robots to mitigate loneliness. Most participants were uncomfortable with this form of deception, indicating need for design solutions for those who want to avoid this possibility, as well as greater attentiveness to desirability and comfort across age and gender.
KW - artificial intelligence
KW - dementia
KW - ethics
KW - natural language processesing
KW - robotics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85149617411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85149617411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1106633
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1106633
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85149617411
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 14
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 1106633
ER -