User Perception of Robot Behavior as a Function of Previous Experience with Robots *

As society witnesses an increasing presence of robots in domains such as healthcare, education, and service industries, understanding user perceptions and acceptance becomes essential. This research investigates the connection between the perception of robot behavior and user experience, emphasizing the role of social characteristics in shaping perceptions. A sample of 240 participants (mean age 39) evaluated scenarios with non-anthropomorphic robots exhibiting different behavior-one scenario where the robot displayed social behavior (social sensitivity, attention-sharing, and helping) and another where it did not. Insights from the literature underscore the importance of user experience, cultural differences, and prior exposure to robots in shaping attitudes. The present paper replicates the evidence that experience with robots impacts the perception of robots. The novel finding is that users with greater experience prefer robots that show social behavior. The experiments utilized the Mind Attribution Scale, Godspeed Scale, Robotic Social Attributes Scale, and a Prior Experience with Robots Questionnaire. ANCOVA analysis revealed a significant interaction between robot behavior and participants' experience on the perception of the robots. Results indicated that as participants' experience increased, robots with social behavior received higher ratings across all instruments, affirming the impact of personal experiences on shaping perceptions. The study contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of human-robot interaction, guiding the programming of robot behavior for enhanced user experience and societal acceptance in various domains where robots are increasingly present.