Karolina Zawieska

About

Karolina Zawieska is a multidisciplinary researcher whose work sits at the intersection of social robotics, human-robot interaction (HRI), ethics, and the social dimensions of artificial intelligence. Best known for her foundational contributions to understanding how humans perceive and relate to robots, her highly cited 2012 papers on suspension of disbelief (52 citations) and anthropomorphisation (25 citations) established her as a leading voice in exploring the psychological and interpretive processes that shape human-robot relationships. Her scholarship extends into educational robotics, examining creativity and the role of anthropomorphic robots in learning environments, while her 2017 work on responsible robotics and human rights (29 citations) reflects a sustained commitment to ethical governance of emerging technologies. A recurring concern throughout her career is the risk of dehumanisation embedded in how robotics ethics is — or is not — practiced. Her more recent work critically interrogates the often overstated promises of social robotics becoming embedded in everyday life, pushing the field toward greater conceptual rigor around "experience" and daily living. With over 190 cumulative citations, Zawieska's research challenges both technologists and policymakers to engage more thoughtfully with the human consequences of robotic futures.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Suspension of disbelief in social robotics

   52 citations · 2012
2. 2
   The Social Construction of Creativity in Educational Robotics

   40 citations · 2015
3. 3
   From responsible robotics towards a human rights regime oriented to the challenges of robotics and artificial intelligence

   29 citations · 2017
4. 4
   Understanding anthropomorphisation in social robotics

   25 citations · 2012
5. 5
   Disengagement with ethics in robotics as a tacit form of dehumanisation

   16 citations · 2020
6. 6
   Anthropomorphic Robots and Human Meaning Makers in Education

   9 citations · 2017
7. 7
   Towards HRI of Everyday Life

   7 citations · 2023
8. 8
   The Self in the Machine

   6 citations · 2014
9. 9
   Towards a conceptualisation and critique of everyday life in HRI

   6 citations · 2023
10. 10
    The Iron Cage of Social Robotics

    6 citations · 2024

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links