Physical anthropomorphism (but not gender presentation) influences trust in household robots

This research explores anthropomorphism and gender presentation as prospective determinants of trust in household service robots with respect to care of objects (e.g., clothing, valuables), information (e.g., online passwords, credit card numbers), and living agents (e.g., pets, children). In Experiments 1 and 2, we compared trust in a humanoid robot presenting as male, female, or gender-neutral, finding no effects of gender presentation on any trust outcome. In Experiment 3, a fourth condition depicting a physically nonhumanoid robot was added. Relative to the humanoid conditions, participants reported less willingness to trust the nonhumanoid robot to care for their objects, personal information, or vulnerable agents; the reduced trust in care for objects or information was mediated by appraisals of the nonhumanoid as less intelligent and less likable, whereas the reduced trust in care of agents was mediated by appraisals of the nonhumanoid as less likable and less alive. In a parallel pattern, across all studies, participants’ appraisals of robots as intelligent tracked trust in them to take care of objects or information (but not agents), whereas appraisals of robots as likable and alive tracked trust in care of agents. The results are discussed as they inform past work examining effects of gender presentation and anthropomorphism on perceptions of, and trust in, robots.