Jessica M. Szczuka
Papers
7
Total Citations
246
H-Index
6
About
Jessica M. Szczuka is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the social, psychological, and sexual dimensions of human engagement with robots. Her work sits at the intersection of media psychology, evolutionary theory, and emerging technology, making significant contributions to our understanding of how people form attachments to and evaluate robotic systems. Szczuka's most influential work — cited over 100 times — examines whether a robot's social skills can discourage users from switching it off, probing the deeply human tendency to anthropomorphize machines. Her extensive research into sex robots has been especially groundbreaking, empirically investigating how men and women evaluate robotic partners in comparison to humans, drawing on frameworks like the Media Equation and evolutionary psychology. Her 2019 Sexual Interaction Illusion Model represents a notable theoretical contribution, synthesizing prior findings into a coherent framework for understanding artificial intimacy. Beyond attraction and acceptance, Szczuka has explored jealousy responses toward gynoid robots, gaze behavior differences, and children's social connections with voice-responsive technology — demonstrating the breadth of her scholarly reach. With nearly 250 cumulative citations, her work is shaping critical conversations about the ethical, emotional, and social implications of increasingly humanlike robots in everyday life.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 4Influences on the Intention to Buy a Sex Robot23 citations · 2017
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- 7Someone or Something to Play With?2 citations · 2021