Alejandra Santos
Papers
1
Total Citations
8
H-Index
1
About
Alejandra Santos is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of social robotics, critical race theory, and gender studies. Her work investigates how human biases—particularly those rooted in racialization and gendered perceptions—are reproduced in human-robot interactions. In her most-cited paper, "A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Racialization and Humanness on the Verbal Abuse of Female-Gendered Robots" (2018, 8 citations), Santos conducted a mixed-methods study revealing that people unabashedly direct verbal abuse toward female-gendered robots, and that this mistreatment varies along racial lines. This foundational work challenges the field to confront uncomfortable truths about how technology can mirror and amplify societal prejudices. By centering the intersection of race and gender in human-robot dynamics, Santos has carved out a critical niche in human-computer interaction, urging designers to consider ethical frameworks that account for bias. Her research has been cited in discussions on robot ethics, AI fairness, and social justice in technology, marking her as a vital voice in ensuring that emerging technologies do not simply replicate existing inequalities.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
- 1