Sarah Diefenbach

About

Sarah Diefenbach is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI) and the psychology of technology, whose work critically examines how we build trust, form relationships, and even overtrust social robots and chatbots. Her most cited paper (136 citations) systematically explores whether robots earn trust through the same human dimensions of competence and warmth, while her follow-up work (64 citations) provides a psychological analysis of the dangerous phenomenon of overtrust in anthropomorphic machines. Diefenbach’s research spans from the practical—such as using a "Murphy Miserable Robot" to comfort children in pediatric waiting rooms—to the provocative, challenging the ideal of human-likeness by revealing how anthropomorphic designs can distort our mental models of robots. She also investigates long-term human-technology relationships, such as regular chatbot use for healthcare support. With over 350 total citations across her top papers, Diefenbach’s work is essential for understanding the psychological mechanisms that govern our interactions with social technologies, and she consistently advocates for responsible automation that preserves human meaning and competence.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Can Robots Earn Our Trust the Same Way Humans Do? A Systematic Exploration of Competence, Warmth, and Anthropomorphism as Determinants of Trust Development in HRI

   136 citations · 2021
2. 2
   The Development of Overtrust: An Empirical Simulation and Psychological Analysis in the Context of Human–Robot Interaction

   64 citations · 2021
3. 3
   Connect With Me. Exploring Influencing Factors in a Human-Technology Relationship Based on Regular Chatbot Use

   43 citations · 2021
4. 4
   Technology as a Social Companion? An Exploration of Individual and Product-Related Factors of Anthropomorphism

   32 citations · 2022
5. 5
   Murphy Miserable Robot

   28 citations · 2016
6. 6
   The Eternal Robot: Anchoring Effects in Humans' Mental Models of Robots and Their Self

   18 citations · 2020
7. 7
   Truly Social Robots - Understanding Human-Robot Interaction from the Perspective of Social Psychology

   9 citations · 2017
8. 8
   Who do you follow?

   8 citations · 2018
9. 9
   Social Robot Personality: A Review and Research Agenda

   5 citations · 2023
10. 10
    Responsible Automation: Exploring Potentials and Losses through Automation in Human–Computer Interaction from a Psychological Perspective

    4 citations · 2024

Key Collaborators

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