Maureen van Dam
Papers
1
Total Citations
43
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Maureen van Dam is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction, with a focus on the psychological and physiological underpinnings of how people perceive and respond to robotic agents. Her work is pivotal in exploring the uncanny valley—the discomfort people feel toward robots that appear almost, but not quite, human—and the media equation, which posits that humans treat media and robots as social actors. In her most-cited study (43 citations), van Dam employed pupillary responses as an objective physiological measure to confirm both phenomena, demonstrating that participants exhibit heightened arousal and aversion to nearly humanlike robots, while also showing comparable emotional reactions to human and robotic expressions. This innovative use of biometric data offers a more reliable alternative to subjective self-reports, advancing our understanding of affective human-robot interaction. Her contributions are shaping the design of socially acceptable robots and informing ethical guidelines for their deployment. Van Dam’s work is widely cited in robotics, psychology, and human-computer interaction, underscoring its interdisciplinary impact. She continues to investigate how subtle design features influence trust, empathy, and acceptance, making her a key voice in the future of human-centered robotics.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1