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About

Kaiping Peng is a psychological researcher whose work sits at the compelling intersection of human-robot interaction, loneliness, and social cognition. His research explores how individuals experiencing loneliness — both chronic and situational — perceive and relate to social robots, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anthropomorphism, the tendency to attribute human-like qualities to non-human agents. Among his most notable contributions, Peng has investigated whether trait loneliness predicts individuals' openness or resistance to robot companionship, a question with profound implications as social robots become increasingly integrated into care and companionship settings. His work further distinguishes how lonely individuals anthropomorphize social robots differently from other non-human agents such as animals or gadgets, suggesting that social robots occupy a psychologically unique category. He has also examined the specific role of "good human uniqueness" — positive distinctively human traits — in shaping these anthropomorphic responses. With citations accumulating across these studies since 2020, Peng's research speaks directly to urgent societal challenges around loneliness and aging populations. His findings offer valuable guidance for designers, policymakers, and caregivers considering robot-assisted social interventions.