Investigation of Relationships Between Embodiment Perceptions and Perceived Social Presence in Human–Robot Interactions

The corporeality of social robots can be broken down into anthropomorphic (humanoid), zoomorphic (animal-like), mechanoid (machine-like), and functional (use-based). The effects of these corporeal forms and their functions have been investigated within prior research; however, the benefits of each form and how they may relate to social presence still need investigation. 95 participants were randomly assigned to interact with either Lynx (humanoid), Vector (mechanoid), or Alexa Echo (functional) and then answered questionnaires related to the robot’s embodiment and perceived social presence. There is supporting evidence that social presence is explained by a few key factors of embodiment, but not all of them. (shared) perceptions and interpretations were found to be a requirement for social presence in robots. Once met, the robot’s motion seems to be the most important factor for improving and predicting emotional and behavioral interdependence. Based on these findings, robot development for social purposes would benefit by implementing different movements that can help build rapport.