Compete, Cooperate, or Both? Exploring How Interaction Settings Shape Human-Robot Interaction

Abstract

Robots and humans interact in different settings, typically encompassing tasks with cooperation and competition. However, research in human-human interaction indicates that a combination of both might be most beneficial for enjoyment and task performance. Moreover, as the cooperative competition builds a potential in-group with the robot and a potential out-group of another team, mind perception might be influenced. In a laboratory experiment participants (N =66) interacted with a social robot in either cooperation, competition, or cooperative competition. The results, despite a successful manipulation check, revealed no significant differences in enjoyment and engagement. However, the robot was ascribed with significantly more agency in the cooperative competition compared to the competition. Moreover, exploratory analyses revealed higher performance in the competitive compared to the cooperative interaction but not compared to the cooperative competition. Our study, while needing validation with larger sample sizes, suggests a potential positive effect of combining cooperation and competition, notably in increasing agency.