How does service robot anthropomorphism affect human co-workers?
ISSN: 1757-5818
Article publication date: 5 May 2023
Issue publication date: 27 June 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Service robots are gradually becoming more anthropomorphic and intelligent. This research aims to investigate how anthropomorphic service robots with different levels of intelligence affect their human counterparts.
Design/methodology/approach
Two between-subject experimental studies were used to test whether different levels of service robot anthropomorphism with different levels of intelligence influence employees' morale and resistance to service robots.
Findings
Study 1 shows that the effect of service robot anthropomorphism (low vs. high) on employees' resistance and morale is mediated by perceived job-security threat. Study 2 validates this mediating effect and shows that it is moderated by the type of AI (mechanical vs. analytical). Specifically, when exposed to mechanical AI-powered service robots, employees exhibit a higher perceived job-security threat toward robots with a high (vs. low) degree of anthropomorphism. This moderating effect is not observed when employees are exposed to analytical AI-powered service robots. This moderated mediation effect is also found for the signing of a petition as the behavioral outcome.
Practical implications
Service firms considering the adoption of mechanical AI-powered service robots should choose a low (vs. high) anthropomorphic robot to reduce the sense of job-security threat felt by human employees, which subsequently increases their acceptance. However, if analytical AI-powered service robots with are to replace their human employees, the degree of anthropomorphism becomes irrelevant.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical study to explore how anthropomorphic service robots can influence human employees' evaluations and behaviors.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “Human-Robot Service Interactions: Moral, Ethical and Well-Being Implications”, guest edited by Nichola Robertson and Yelena Tsarenko.
Citation
Tojib, D., Sujan, R., Ma, J. and Tsarenko, Y. (2023), "How does service robot anthropomorphism affect human co-workers?", Journal of Service Management, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 750-769. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-03-2022-0090
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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