Effects of Humour in Social Robots on Children’s Learning

Social robots are being increasingly employed in education because of advancements in their interactivity. They serve as valuable tools for engaging children in learning activities and increasing the effectiveness of education. This study determined whether humour in social robots affected the learning motivation and learning outcomes of 36 children by employing a paired samples design. Learning motivation among the children was measured using the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction Model. According to the results, humour in the social robot significantly influenced the children’s learning motivation; the children exhibited a preference for the social robot with humour. However, humour in the social robot did not significantly affect learning outcomes. The findings can serve as valuable references for those designing learning materials for children and educational social robots and for those designing interactive instructional materials for children.