Roberta Gargiulo

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About

Roberta Gargiulo is a leading scholar in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the sociotechnical dynamics that shape robot acceptance and rejection. Her work bridges service management, technology adoption, and qualitative social research, offering nuanced insights into why people embrace or resist robotic service provision. Her most influential paper, "Understanding robot acceptance/rejection: the SAR model" (2020), has garnered 9 citations and is widely recognized for shifting the discourse from speculative futures to real-world opportunities. In this study, Gargiulo developed the SAR (Sociotechnical Acceptance/Rejection) model, employing a rigorous qualitative methodology to capture the complexity of user attitudes toward robots in service contexts. Her approach is notable for its depth: rather than relying on surveys or lab experiments, she conducted multi-step field investigations that reveal the lived experiences and contextual factors behind acceptance and rejection. This work has become a foundational reference for researchers studying service robots, technology adoption, and human-centered AI. Gargiulo’s contributions are essential for anyone seeking to design robots that are not only functional but also socially and emotionally integrated into everyday life.