1 research outputs found
Between Fear and Trust: Factors Influencing Older Adults' Evaluation of Socially Assistive Robots
Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) are expected to support autonomy, aging in
place, and wellbeing in later life. For successful assimilation, it is
necessary to understand factors affecting older adults Quality Evaluations
(QEs) of SARs, including the pragmatic and hedonic evaluations and overall
attractiveness. Previous studies showed that trust in robots significantly
enhances QE, while technophobia considerably decreases it. The current study
aimed to examine the relative impact of these two factors on older persons QE
of SARs. The study was based on an online survey of 384 individuals aged 65 and
above. Respondents were presented with a video of a robotic system for physical
and cognitive training and filled out a questionnaire relating to that system.
The results indicated a positive association between trust and QE and a
negative association between technophobia and QE. A simultaneous exploration
demonstrated that the relative impact of technophobia is significantly more
substantial than that of trust. In addition, the pragmatic qualities of the
robot were found to be more crucial to its QE than the social aspects of use.
The findings suggest that implementing robotics technology in later life
strongly depends on reducing older adults technophobia regarding the
convenience of using SARs and highlight the importance of simultaneous
explorations of facilitators and inhibitors