Task sharing with the humanoid robot iCub increases the likelihood of adopting the intentional stance

When acting together with another human agent, humans form shared representations with their partner in order to predict and adjust to their partner’s behaviors and ensure a smooth and efficient joint action. Previous work has shown that humans do not form shared representations when acting with partners they do not perceive as intentional, such as computers or robots. In the current study, we investigated the effect in the opposite direction: we asked whether engaging in a task with the humanoid robot iCub, in order to achieve a shared goal, could influence the perceived intentionality of the robot. In our study, participants completed a target tracking and detection task with iCub, in which each agent fulfilled different but complementary roles, thus sharing the task. Participants’ likelihood of perceiving the robot as intentional was assessed before and after the interaction. Results showed that participants were more likely to perceive iCub as an intentional agent after they shared the task with it, suggesting that interacting with a robot to achieve a common goal promotes attribution of intentionality toward the robot.