Sachie Yamada
Papers
15
Total Citations
395
H-Index
11
About
Sachie Yamada is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), whose work sits at a compelling intersection of social psychology, robotics, and behavioral science. She is perhaps best known for her groundbreaking investigations into robot abuse, particularly among children. Her widely cited studies — "Why Do Children Abuse Robots?" (2015, 2016; combined nearly 150 citations) — revealed that children in real-world settings verbally harassed, obstructed, kicked, and punched social robots, sparking global conversations about ethics, empathy, and the social status of robots. Her subsequent work developing an "Escalating Model of Children's Robot Abuse" (2020) deepened this understanding through rigorous qualitative analysis of behavioral trajectories. Beyond robot abuse, Yamada has made significant contributions to understanding how human psychological traits — particularly social anxiety — shape attitudes toward robots. Her 2019 study demonstrated that socially anxious individuals experience less anticipatory anxiety when interacting with robots compared to humans, opening promising avenues for therapeutic applications. She has also examined robots' potential in eldercare and healthcare settings. With over 350 cumulative citations, Yamada's research consistently challenges assumptions about human-robot relationships, making her an essential voice in designing socially responsible robotic systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Why do children abuse robots?95 citations · 2016
- 2Do people with social anxiety feel anxious about interacting with a robot?69 citations · 2019
- 3Why Do Children Abuse Robots?54 citations · 2015
- 4Attitudes toward robots and factors influencing them33 citations · 2011
- 5An Escalating Model of Children's Robot Abuse31 citations · 2020
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- 8Healthcare Support by a Humanoid Robot13 citations · 2019
- 9
- 10Exploring influences of robot anxiety into HRI11 citations · 2011