Papers
2
Total Citations
113
H-Index
2
About
Maria Augustinova is a leading cognitive scientist whose research sits at the fascinating intersection of human-robot interaction and attentional control. Her work fundamentally challenges our assumptions about how robots affect human performance, revealing that the presence of anthropomorphized robots can paradoxically enhance—rather than impair—cognitive functioning. In her most influential study (64 citations), Augustinova demonstrated that humanoid robots with human-like features actually improve people's cognitive control, suggesting that our social brains respond to robots in ways that sharpen focus. Her equally compelling 2018 paper (49 citations) turned conventional wisdom on its head by showing that even "threatening" humanoid robots—those perceived as bad or menacing—can energize attentional control when they appear to monitor human performance, much like the galvanizing effect of a human observer. This counterintuitive finding has profound implications for designing robots in high-stakes environments like surgery, air traffic control, or manufacturing. Augustinova's work bridges social psychology, robotics, and cognitive neuroscience, offering a nuanced understanding of how artificial social agents reshape our mental processes. Her research is essential reading for anyone interested in the cognitive consequences of our increasingly robotic world.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Improved Cognitive Control in Presence of Anthropomorphized Robots64 citations · 2019
- 2