Mar 16, 2025 01:10 AM
When robot becomes boss: Research on authority, obedience and relationships with machines
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1076950
INTRO: How does a robot perform as a boss at work? The results of research by Polish scientists published in Cognition, Technology & Work suggest that while robots can command obedience, it is not as strong as in the case of humans. The level of obedience towards them is generally lower than towards human authority figures, and work efficiency under the supervision of a robot is lower.
For employers and HR departments, this means the need to take the psychological aspects of implementing robots in the work environment into account - their perception as an authority figure, trust in them, and potential resistance to following orders, says Konrad Maj, PhD, from SWPS University, a psychologist and head of the HumanTech Center for Social and Technological Innovation.
Robot as an authority figure? The development of robotics has led to a situation in which robots are increasingly found in roles associated with authority, e.g. in education, healthcare or law enforcement. Researchers were intrigued by the extent to which society would accept robots as authority figures.
We have shown that people demonstrate a significant level of obedience towards humanoid robots acting as authority figures, although it is slightly lower than towards people (63% vs. 75%). As the experiment has shown, people may exhibit a decrease in motivation towards machines that supervise their work – in our studies, participants performed their assigned tasks more slowly and less effectively under the supervision of a robot.
This means that automation does not necessarily increase efficiency if it is not properly planned from a psychological point of view, Maj believes.
Course of the study. The study was carried out in the SWPS University... (MORE - details, no ads)
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1076950
INTRO: How does a robot perform as a boss at work? The results of research by Polish scientists published in Cognition, Technology & Work suggest that while robots can command obedience, it is not as strong as in the case of humans. The level of obedience towards them is generally lower than towards human authority figures, and work efficiency under the supervision of a robot is lower.
For employers and HR departments, this means the need to take the psychological aspects of implementing robots in the work environment into account - their perception as an authority figure, trust in them, and potential resistance to following orders, says Konrad Maj, PhD, from SWPS University, a psychologist and head of the HumanTech Center for Social and Technological Innovation.
Robot as an authority figure? The development of robotics has led to a situation in which robots are increasingly found in roles associated with authority, e.g. in education, healthcare or law enforcement. Researchers were intrigued by the extent to which society would accept robots as authority figures.
We have shown that people demonstrate a significant level of obedience towards humanoid robots acting as authority figures, although it is slightly lower than towards people (63% vs. 75%). As the experiment has shown, people may exhibit a decrease in motivation towards machines that supervise their work – in our studies, participants performed their assigned tasks more slowly and less effectively under the supervision of a robot.
This means that automation does not necessarily increase efficiency if it is not properly planned from a psychological point of view, Maj believes.
Course of the study. The study was carried out in the SWPS University... (MORE - details, no ads)