Service robots in healthcare: Toward a healthcare service robot acceptance model (sRAM)

IF 10.1 1区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL ISSUES

Technology in Society Pub Date : 2025-04-28 DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102932

Weng Marc Lim , K. Mohamed Jasim , A. Malathi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Our research examines the perceptions and intentions surrounding the use of healthcare service robots. Guided by service robot acceptance model (sRAM) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, we explore how perceptions of functional, social, emotional, and robotic features of service robots shape their trust and use in healthcare. Our research incorporated data from 398 responses collected via an online questionnaire, which was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) through the SmartPLS software, revealing that functional (ease of use), emotional (anxiety and enjoyment), and social (social interactivity and presence) features significantly influence healthcare service robots trust and use. Contrarily, usefulness—a functional feature—had no significant role in shaping healthcare service robots trust and use. Nevertheless, trust mediated perceptions relating to anxiety, ease of use, enjoyment, social interactivity, and social presence with healthcare service robots use. Interestingly, anthropomorphism—a robotic feature—had no moderating effect while subjective norms—a non-robotic feature—only moderated the impact of social interactivity on healthcare service robots use. Conclusively, our research organizes sRAM antecedents into clear, discrete categories (functional, emotional, and social) and delivers a comprehensive, structured acceptance model. This new and novel model supports systematic theory development and comparability in healthcare service robot research while also offering critical implications for enhancing the integration and utilization of service robots within healthcare.

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医疗服务机器人：医疗服务机器人接受模型（sRAM）

我们的研究考察了人们对医疗服务机器人使用的看法和意图。在服务机器人接受模型（sRAM）和刺激-生物反应（S-O-R）模型的指导下，我们探讨了对服务机器人的功能、社会、情感和机器人特征的感知如何影响他们在医疗保健中的信任和使用。我们的研究结合了通过在线问卷收集的398份回复数据，通过SmartPLS软件使用偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）进行分析，揭示了功能（易用性），情感（焦虑和享受）和社交（社交互动和存在）特征显著影响医疗服务机器人的信任和使用。相反，实用性——一种功能性特征——在塑造医疗服务机器人的信任和使用方面没有显著作用。然而，信任介导的感知与使用医疗服务机器人的焦虑、易用性、享受、社会互动性和社会存在有关。有趣的是，拟人化（机器人特征）没有调节作用，而主观规范（非机器人特征）只调节社会互动对医疗服务机器人使用的影响。最后，我们的研究将sRAM前因组织成清晰、离散的类别（功能、情感和社会），并提供了一个全面、结构化的接受模型。这种新颖的模型支持了医疗服务机器人研究的系统理论发展和可比性，同时也为加强医疗服务机器人的集成和利用提供了重要的意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Technology in Society Multiple-

CiteScore

17.90

自引率

14.10%

发文量

316

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.