Controlling Social Cognition with Robotic Media: Psychological and Behavioral Induction and Clinical Ethics

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11395
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Yamazaki-Skov Ryuji 大阪大学, 先導的学際研究機構, 招へい准教授 (10623746)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: BPSD / 対話システム / 認知症重症度 / 機械学習 / ユーザスタディ / 愛着 / 意思決定 / ELSA/ELSI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With the aim of developing effective methods for guiding human psychology and behavior and exploring ethical issues, this study examined the effectiveness of robot-mediated dialogue, methods for utilizing data, and ethical issues in promoting the health of older adults and improving behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The results showed that robot-mediated dialogue was effective in reducing the anxiety of older adults with dementia and also reduced the sense of burden of caregiving. For early response to BPSD, we proposed a method to predict dementia severity, which is known to be associated with BPSD emergence, using dialogue data with machine learning. Further, the study found that an autonomous robot can bring mental stability to older people living alone, change their lifestyle, and promote self-disclosure willingness through long-term dialogue, and presented an approach to empirically discussing ethical issues related to robot attachment and illusions.

Free Research Field

臨床哲学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ロボットとの対話が不安や孤独感を軽減する効果は、高齢化が進む社会での安心や負担の軽減につながる。認知症の重症度推定は、BPSDへの早期対応の手法検討につながる意義があり、対話データを用いた提案手法がMRI等大型装置や技師による従来の推定技術と相補的に発展する可能性を示す。ロボットへの愛着や自己開示の意欲を示す結果は、人が聞けないことを聞き出すサービスへの展開を予期させるとともに、人との社会的関係に及ぼす影響への調査の必要性も喚起する。倫理的課題では、実証的議論を基に、ロボットの利用や撤去に伴い、その条件を精査するアセスメントや高齢者の適応過程に影響を及ぼす要因の解明が重要であることが示された。