Daniel Ullrich

About

Daniel Ullrich is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), whose work explores the psychological foundations of how we trust, perceive, and interact with social robots. His major contributions center on understanding trust development in HRI, showing that humans apply social psychological frameworks—specifically perceptions of competence and warmth—to robots, much as they do to other people. His highly cited 2021 paper (136 citations) systematically demonstrates that these human-like determinants drive trust in robots, while his follow-up work on “overtrust” (64 citations) reveals the risks when anthropomorphic designs lead users to overestimate robot capabilities. Ullrich also investigates robot personality design, showing how tailoring robot traits to specific domains (e.g., healthcare, retail) can improve acceptance and user experience. Notably, his “Murphy Miserable Robot” project (28 citations) applied these insights to a real-world pediatric waiting room, using a socially engaging robot to comfort anxious children—a compelling example of research translating into social good. With recent work on automation’s psychological costs and a 2023 review agenda on robot personality, Ullrich continues to shape responsible, human-centered robotics for the 21st century.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Can Robots Earn Our Trust the Same Way Humans Do? A Systematic Exploration of Competence, Warmth, and Anthropomorphism as Determinants of Trust Development in HRI

   136 citations · 2021
2. 2
   The Development of Overtrust: An Empirical Simulation and Psychological Analysis in the Context of Human–Robot Interaction

   64 citations · 2021
3. 3
   Murphy Miserable Robot

   28 citations · 2016
4. 4
   Robot Personality Insights. Designing Suitable Robot Personalities for Different Domains

   19 citations · 2017
5. 5
   The Eternal Robot: Anchoring Effects in Humans' Mental Models of Robots and Their Self

   18 citations · 2020
6. 6
   Truly Social Robots - Understanding Human-Robot Interaction from the Perspective of Social Psychology

   9 citations · 2017
7. 7
   Who do you follow?

   8 citations · 2018
8. 8
   Social Robot Personality: A Review and Research Agenda

   5 citations · 2023
9. 9
   Responsible Automation: Exploring Potentials and Losses through Automation in Human–Computer Interaction from a Psychological Perspective

   4 citations · 2024
10. 10
    Social Robots for the 21st Century

    3 citations · 2016

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links