The Dark Side of Body Augmentation: Dehumanizing Perceptions of Individuals Equipped with Wearable Robots

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14377
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10010:Social psychology-related
• Research Institution: Fukuyama University
• Principal Investigator: Miyazaki Yuki 福山大学, 人間文化学部, 准教授 (70600873)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 身体拡張 / ウェアラブルロボット / 物体化 / 非人間的認知 / 認知バイアス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the wearer of a powered suit (i.e., a machine-enhanced individual) is perceived as an "object" such as a robot or other machine. The results showed that workers wearing powered suits were not only rated highly for their perceived machine-likeness but also viewed as objects less likely to experience negative emotions such as fatigue and pain. Interpersonal impressions, such as warmth, were also rated lower for these individuals. These perceptions occurred regardless of the worker's gender. Similar responses were observed not only among Japanese participants, but also with British and American ones.

Free Research Field

応用心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

介護福祉の現場や，肉体労働を伴う作業現場で，身体的負荷軽減やケガ防止等を目的として，パワーアシストスーツの導入がはじまっている。その導入は，筋・骨格系障害のリスクの低減につながることも示されており (de Looze et al., 2016)，今後ますます様々な文脈に広がることが見込まれる。パワーアシストスーツ装用の心理的副作用を明らかにした本研究は，パワーアシストスーツの利用拡大にともなう，将来予想される新しい種類の認知バイアス・偏見に関する先駆的な基礎研究となりうる。