Kexiang Gao
Papers
1
Total Citations
26
H-Index
1
About
Kexiang Gao investigates the intersection of social robotics, affective computing, and human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on how mental health conditions shape our engagement with machines. In their most-cited work, “I, robot: depression plays different roles in human–human and human–robot interactions” (2021, 26 citations), Gao explores how depression alters social reward processing not only in human-to-human encounters but also during simulated interactions with socially engaging robots. This research is pivotal in understanding the nuanced ways depressive symptoms influence perceived social connection, trust, and emotional response to robotic agents—insights that are critical for designing assistive technologies for vulnerable populations. Gao’s work bridges clinical psychology and robotics, demonstrating that the same cognitive biases that impair human social bonding can also color our interactions with artificial companions. By highlighting these differences, Gao contributes to the ethical and effective deployment of socially assistive robots in mental health contexts. Their findings have implications for human-robot relationship design, therapeutic interventions, and the broader discourse on empathy in artificial intelligence.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
- 1