Process of Escalating Robot Abuse in Children

Abstract Both qualitatively and quantitatively, we analyzed the phenomenon of children who engage in such serious abuse as kicking and punching robots by observing their first encounter with the robot to serious abuse and finally leaving the robot. In study 1, we established a process model of robot...
Ausführliche Beschreibung

Abstract Both qualitatively and quantitatively, we analyzed the phenomenon of children who engage in such serious abuse as kicking and punching robots by observing their first encounter with the robot to serious abuse and finally leaving the robot. In study 1, we established a process model of robot abuse and used a qualitative analysis method: the Trajectory Equifinality Model (TEM). We analyzed interactions from nine children who committed serious robot abuse from which we developed a multi-stage model: the abuse escalation model. The model has four stages: approach, mild abuse, physical abuse, and severe abuse. For each stage, we identified social guides (SGs), which are influencing events that fuel the stage. In study 2-1, we conducted a quantitative analysis to examine the effect of SG1 to SG3. We analyzed 12 h of data that included 522 children who visited the observed area, coded their behaviors, and statistically tested whether the presence of each SG promoted the stage. Next, in study 2-2, we examined the effect of SG4 and SG5 on the escalation of physical abuse to a more serious level of abuse. We analyzed 40 h of data that include 363 children who physically abused the robot. Our analysis in study 2-1 and 2-2 confirmed the correlations of all five SGs and children’s behaviors: the presence of other children related a new child to approach the robot (SG1); mild abuse by another child related a child to do mild abuse (SG2); physical abuse by another child related a child to conduct physical abuse (SG3); joint action of other child (SG4) and encouragement from others (SG5) related a child to escalate the abuse. Ausführliche Beschreibung