Peggy van Minkelen
Papers
3
Total Citations
50
H-Index
3
About
Peggy van Minkelen is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, educational technology, and clinical linguistics. Her work centers on how social robots can serve as motivational and therapeutic tools, particularly for vulnerable populations such as preschool children and individuals with aphasia. In her most cited study (41 citations), van Minkelen applied Self-Determination Theory to design a social robot tutor that boosts intrinsic motivation and task engagement in second language word learning among young children. She has also advanced theoretical understanding of human-robot relationships through her framework of “affective bonding,” explaining how people form emotional connections with artificial beings. Notably, her 2022 study explored how individuals with expressive aphasia perceive and interact with social robots, opening new avenues for robot-assisted language rehabilitation. With a growing body of work that bridges psychology, robotics, and speech-language pathology, van Minkelen is shaping how we design robots that not only teach but connect—offering scalable, compassionate support for learning and recovery.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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