Abstract
Two field studies examined the comforting potential of an autonomously functioning humanoid robot and whether participants formed an affective bond with it, guided by a new Human-Robot Bonding framework. We designed a 2 (Designed Humanness: high versus low) × 2 (Designed Affordances: high versus low) mixed-factorial repeatedmeasures field experiment. Participants completed a stress-inducing task, followed by an interaction with the robot, which provided comfort. We measured participants’ stress levels (objectively via heart rate and subjectively via perceived stress) and their level of Bonding with the robot. Results showed that perceived stress, but not heart rate, decreased after human-robot interaction across all conditions. This suggests that the robot may have facilitated meaning-making by reframing the situation in social-affective terms, such that participants’ perceived comfort reflects the influence of the robot’s calming and comforting behavior. No differences in bonding were found between robot conditions; however, individual differences in receptivity to touch predicted bonding outcomes and the perceived relevance of interacting with the robot. Our findings offer initial evidence that a social robot can provide social support through interaction, regardless of its designed communication cues, to help reduce feelings of distress.
DOI
10.30658/hmc.13.6
Recommended Citation
van Minkelen, P., & Konijn, E. A. (2026). The comforting potential of a social robot, regardless of looks and designed affordances. Human-Machine Communication, 13. 155-184. https://doi.org/10.30658/hmc.13.6
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