Theresa Johnson

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Theresa Johnson is a researcher specializing in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on how people respond to and perceive social behaviors exhibited by robots. Her most recognized work examines the nuanced dynamics of blame attribution in robotic systems — specifically, how humans react when robots assign blame to them in contexts of increasing robotic responsibility and specialization. Her landmark study, "Critic, Compatriot, or Chump?: Responses to Robot Blame Attribution" (2010), has garnered nearly 50 citations across its iterations, making it a notable contribution to the field of human-robot interaction and social robotics. Through carefully designed experimental research, Johnson explored how robots might one day serve not just as tools, but as social agents capable of evaluating human performance and communicating complex feedback — a challenging and ethically layered proposition. Her work is particularly relevant as autonomous systems become more deeply embedded in professional and everyday settings, raising important questions about accountability, trust, and the social dynamics between humans and machines. Students and researchers interested in the social dimensions of robotics, human factors, and the psychology of human-machine relationships will find Johnson's contributions foundational to understanding how people emotionally and cognitively process feedback from non-human agents.