TY  - JOUR
A1  - Dudek, Melanie
A1  - Baisch, Stefanie
A1  - Knopf, Monika
A1  - Kolling, Thorsten
T1  - 'THIS ISN'T ME!': the role of age-related self- and user images for robot acceptance by elders
T2  - International Journal of Social Robotics
N2  - Although companion-type robots are already commercially available, little interest has been taken in identifying reasons for inter-individual differences in their acceptance. Elders’ age-related perceptions of both their own self (self-image) and of the general older robot user (user image) could play a relevant role in this context. Since little is known to date about elders’ companion-type robot user image, it is one aim of this study to investigate its age-related facets, concentrating on possibly stigmatizing perceptions of elder robot users. The study also addresses the association between elders’ age-related self-image and robot acceptance: Is the association independent of the user image or not? To investigate these research questions, N = 28 adults aged 63 years and older were introduced to the companion-type robot Pleo. Afterwards, several markers of robot acceptance were assessed. Actual and ideal self- and subjective robot user image were assessed by a study-specific semantic differential on the stereotype dimensions of warmth and competence. Results show that participants tended to stigmatize elder robot users. The self-images were not directly related to robot acceptance, but affected it in the context of the user image. A higher fit between self- and user image was associated with higher perceived usefulness, social acceptance, and intention to use the robot. To conclude, elders’ subjective interpretations of new technologies play a relevant role for their acceptance. Together with elders’ individual self-images, they need to be considered in both robot development and implementation. Future research should consider that associations between user characteristics and robot acceptance by elders can be complex and easily overlooked.
KW  - Companion-type robots
KW  - Self-Congruity Theory
KW  - Disengagement research
KW  - Assistive technology
KW  - Robot acceptance
Y1  - 2020
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/63658
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-636581
SN  - 1875-4805
N1  - Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
VL  - 13.2020
IS  - 6
SP  - 1173
EP  - 1187
PB  - Springer Netherlands
CY  - Dordrecht [u.a.]
ER  -