Evaluating public opinion towards robots: a mixed-method approach

Abstract

Abstract The article presents the results of some research conducted in Italy on the perception of robots. The study was carried out as part of a project arranged by the School of Robotics ( Scuola di Robotica ) in 2017/2018 and involved around 700 Italian citizens belonging to different social groups. Data collection used mixed methods: surveys, focus groups, interviews, and participatory workshops. The results were compared with surveys conducted in Europe by the Eurobarometer. Italy is an interesting context for this type of study for the density of robots, for the growth trends of robotics compared to other countries and for the relationships between industry and the labor market. The results of the research show that the attitudes and expectations of Italians towards robots are complex, multidimensional and contradictory: on the one hand, the interviewees positively value the growing presence of robots, on the other, they show fears about the spread of robotics in society. Robots, especially those designed to interact with humans, are part of a large system influenced by social, cultural and environmental factors in which actors move with different expectations and needs. The presence of a significant degree of differentiation between the responses of the different socio-demographic categories confirms the importance of investigating these issues, in order to reduce the distance that persists between researchers and scientists and the impact of technology on society. Furthermore, robotics is often narrated with myths and legends that have no correspondence in reality; since robots will interact more fully with humans, the human-robot interaction process and the bias integrated into the technology must be carefully studied to avoid the risks of confirmatory bias.