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Enhancing Emotional Support: The Effect of a Robotic Object on Human–Human Support Quality

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Abstract

Emotional support in the context of psychological caregiving is an important aspect of human–human interaction that can significantly increase well-being. In this study, we tested if non-verbal gestures of a non-humanoid robot can increase emotional support in a human–human interaction. Sixty-four participants were invited in pairs to take turns in disclosing a personal problem and responding in a supportive manner. In the experimental condition, the robotic object performed emphatic gestures, modeled according to the behavior of a trained therapist. In the baseline condition, the robotic object performed up-and-down gestures, without directing attention towards the participants. Findings show that the robot’s empathy-related gestures significantly improved the emotional support quality provided by one participant to another, as indicated by both subjective and objective measures. The non-humanoid robot was perceived as peripheral to the natural human–human interaction and influenced participants’ behavior without interfering. We conclude that non-humanoid gestures of a robotic object can enhance the quality of emotional support in intimate human–human interaction.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Osnat Cohen-Ganor, a clinical psychologist (EFT certified couples therapist, and supervisor, ICEEFT), who participated in the pilot study and contributed her time and expertise for modeling the robotic object’s gestures. We thank all of the study participants for sharing their experience and providing insightful comments, and our lab members who were instrumental to this work: Iddo Wald, Nadav Viduchinsky, Idan David, Danielle Rifinski, and Andrey Grishko.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Media Innovation Lab (miLAB), School of Communications, The Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, 46150, Herzliya, Israel

    Hadas Erel, Denis Trayman, Chen Levy, Adi Manor & Oren Zuckerman

  2. Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel

    Mario Mikulincer

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  1. Hadas Erel
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  2. Denis Trayman
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  3. Chen Levy
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  4. Adi Manor
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  6. Oren Zuckerman
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Correspondence to Hadas Erel.

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Erel, H., Trayman, D., Levy, C. et al. Enhancing Emotional Support: The Effect of a Robotic Object on Human–Human Support Quality. Int J of Soc Robotics 14, 257–276 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-021-00779-5

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