Do industrial robots bring happiness? The moderating role of public trust

Abstract

Recent research has extensively discussed both the positive and negative effects of industrial robots on economic and social development, but it remains an open question as to what effects these robots have on individuals’ happiness. This study matches individual panel data reported by a Chinese family group survey with regional-level data on the intensity of industrial robot applications and finds that industrial robots impair individuals’ happiness. This negative impact is more pronounced among individuals not involved in political or labor organizations, low-income groups, those facing low job security, and regions with high unemployment rates and inadequate unemployment protection. We then discuss the factors that may affect the negative effect of industrial robots on happiness from the perspective of public trust. We find that high self-trust, political trust, and social trust effectively alleviate the negative impact of industrial robots on happiness. In contrast, high occupational trust exacerbates this effect. This paper expands the study of the social impact of technological progress from the economic level to the levels of psychological and social well-being, providing new perspectives on the interaction between technological advancements and people's livelihoods.