Katie Riddoch
Papers
6
Total Citations
117
H-Index
4
About
Katie Riddoch is a researcher at the forefront of human-robot interaction (HRI), exploring the psychological and neurocognitive underpinnings of how people form social bonds with robots. Her work uniquely bridges social neuroscience and robotics, investigating whether humans can extend empathy—a core component of social relationships—toward artificial agents. In her most-cited study (69 citations), she used functional neuroimaging to show that socializing with a robot can actually reshape neural responses to a robot’s “pain,” demonstrating remarkable flexibility in human empathy. Riddoch has also pioneered provocative methodological approaches, arguing for more open-ended, ethically rich questions in HRI—such as asking participants to “hit the robot on the head with this mallet”—to probe the boundary between perceiving robots as social agents versus mere objects. Translating insights from human-animal bonding, she has systematically identified behaviors critical for human-dog relationships and tested their application to robotic platforms, aiming to foster long-term engagement. Her applied work includes “WallBo,” a robotic handwashing buddy for children, and investigations into heartrate synchrony’s effect on prosocial behavior toward robots. Riddoch’s research is vital for designing robots that can meaningfully alleviate social isolation, especially among older adults.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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