Adam Waytz

About

Adam Waytz is a leading social psychologist whose research explores how people perceive and interact with non-human agents, from robots and AI to corporations and gods. His most influential contribution is the three-factor theory of anthropomorphism, which explains when and why we attribute human-like minds to non-human entities—a framework detailed in his landmark 2007 paper, cited over 3,600 times. Waytz has also shaped our understanding of automation’s societal impact, showing that exposure to robots and AI can predict religious decline and that people prefer machines for “thinking” jobs but resist them for “feeling” roles. His work on “botsourcing” (cited 172 times) reveals deep psychological tensions in the future of work, while his studies on “playing God” and moral aversion to technology illuminate why some innovations face resistance. More recently, he has examined how to make robots seem less creepy and what it means to hold machines morally responsible. Waytz’s research bridges psychology, technology, and ethics, offering essential insights for anyone navigating a world increasingly populated by intelligent machines.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   On seeing human: A three-factor theory of anthropomorphism.

   3,643 citations · 2007
2. 2
   Holding Robots Responsible: The Elements of Machine Morality

   182 citations · 2019
3. 3
   Botsourcing and outsourcing: Robot, British, Chinese, and German workers are for thinking—not feeling—jobs.

   172 citations · 2014
4. 4
   Aversion to playing God and moral condemnation of technology and science

   32 citations · 2019
5. 5
   Exposure to automation explains religious declines

   23 citations · 2023
6. 6
   The Psychology of Robots and Artificial Intelligence

   8 citations · 2025
7. 7
   How to Make Robots Seem Less Creepy

   7 citations · 2014

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links