Frontline robots anthropomorphism: effects on customer’s emotional response and behavioral intention
(A2021-94686)

AUTHORS

Salma André-Boukhriss, Emlyon Business School; Margherita Pagani, EMLYON Business School

ABSTRACT

Considering the growing deployment of service robots as frontline technologies, this study investigates the impact of robot facial features on the perceived agency and affective abilities and on the customer emotional and behavioral response. Based on an in-depth literature review on anthropomorphism and social robots, we conducted two one-way between-subject experiments with two robot design conditions (robots with facial features vs control) in the absence and in the presence of body-manipulators. We find that the facial and body-manipulators anthropomorphic dimensions have distinct effects on customer inferences about the robot abilities and on the willingness to use this technology in a service environment. These studies have important implications for theories about robot anthropomorphism and customer frontline experience with robots.