Liying Xu

Wuhan University, Wuhan University of Technology

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Liying Xu is a rising scholar in the emerging field of human–robot interaction and organizational psychology, whose work probes the psychological and social consequences of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Her research centers on how people perceive and respond to robots, particularly focusing on folk beliefs about AI and the unintended effects of robotic presence on human dignity. In her highly cited 2023 study, *The influence of perceived robot threat on workplace objectification* (4 citations), Xu and her team conducted eight progressive sub-studies (N = 3,422) to reveal that perceiving robots as a threat—especially an identity threat to human uniqueness—significantly increases the tendency to objectify coworkers. This work uncovers a critical mechanism: a loss of perceived control mediates this effect, showing that when people feel their distinctively human qualities are challenged, they may dehumanize others in response. Her 2024 paper, *Folk Beliefs of Artificial Intelligence and Robots* (6 citations), further explores lay theories about AI, illuminating how cultural and intuitive beliefs shape public acceptance and fear of intelligent machines. Xu’s contributions are vital for understanding the hidden costs of automation, offering evidence that technological progress can paradoxically erode interpersonal respect. Her findings carry profound implications for organizational design, AI ethics, and workplace well-being in an increasingly automated world.