In a study aimed at studying the interaction between people and robots, scientists have found that people can experience sympathetic embarrassment when encountering robots in difficult situations.
Research published in the journal Scientific Reports on September 12, 2023, by specialists from Toyohasi University of Technologies under the leadership of the candidate of sciences Kharina Khapuarachaci and professor Michiter Kitazaki aimed to investigate whether people experience empathy when robots, rather than other people, are faced with ill-treating moments.
The participants in the experiment were placed in a virtual environment where both human and robotic avatars faced embarrassing or untreating situations in order to evoke feelings of error or discomfort.
Researchers used several methods to measure the participants’ reactions, including measuring the level of skin smoothing, which is a reliable indicator of emotional excitement.
The findings revealed that the participants experienced sympathetic embarrassment and cognitive empathy for both types of avatars. However, cognitive empathy for human avatars was higher than for robotic avatars. Nevertheless, the differences in physiological reactions to human and robotic avatars were not statistically significant.
The chief researcher of the project, Harin Khapuarachaci, noted: “Our study reveals new horizons of understanding the relations between a person and a robot. Understanding our emotional reactions to robots becomes critical as technology integrates into everyday life.”
These results not only expand our understanding of human empathy but also have implications for areas such as robotics, psychology, and human-computer interaction. These conclusions can serve as a starting point for further exploration of the emotional aspects of our relationships with machines.