Gianfelice Molinario

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About

Gianfelice Molinario is a researcher whose work bridges developmental psychology, human-robot interaction, and social cognition. His key research areas include mind perception, gaze behavior, and the dynamics of child-robot interaction, with a focus on understanding how children attribute mental states to artificial agents. His most notable contribution, "The Mind in the Machine: Mind Perception Modulates Gaze Aversion During Child–Robot Interaction" (2020, 16 citations), explores how children's perception of a robot's mental capacities influences their social cues, such as gaze aversion—a subtle yet powerful indicator of social engagement. This work has been instrumental in advancing the design of more intuitive and socially responsive robots for educational and therapeutic contexts. Molinario's research has garnered attention for its innovative integration of cognitive science and robotics, offering insights into how humans, especially children, navigate interactions with non-human entities. His findings have implications for both developmental psychology and artificial intelligence, highlighting the nuanced ways in which mind perception shapes social behavior. With a growing citation record, Molinario is establishing himself as a key voice in understanding the psychological underpinnings of human-machine social dynamics.