Fictional robots as a data source in HRI research: Exploring the link between science fiction and interactional expectations

Because interacting with a robot is a novel experience for most adults, expectations about a robot's capabilities must come from sources other than past experiences. This paper explores the relationship between capabilities of robots portrayed in popular science fiction films and students' expectations about a real robot. A content analysis of 12 American science fiction films showed that fictional robots reliably display cognitive capabilities, but do not consistently exhibit many humanlike social behaviors. Survey data collected from students follow the same basic patterns: people expect robots to have humanlike cognitive capabilities, but not social capabilities. The results are discussed in terms of how an empirical evaluation of cultural artifacts can inform the study of human-robot interaction.