Thomas L. Davies

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About

Thomas L. Davies is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction and the psychology of technology rejection. His work explores the emotional and cognitive consequences of people’s negative responses to robotic systems, particularly how robot rejection can undermine human self-esteem. In his highly cited 2017 paper, “The bionic blues: Robot rejection lowers self-esteem” (40 citations), Davies demonstrated that individuals who feel dismissed or ignored by robots experience measurable drops in self-worth—a finding that challenges assumptions about purely functional human-robot relationships. This contribution has shaped emerging debates on robot ethics, social robotics, and the design of empathetic AI. Davies’ research bridges social psychology, human factors, and robotics, offering critical insights into how technology can affect human identity and emotional well-being. His work is widely referenced in studies on robot acceptance, automation anxiety, and the psychological impact of human-machine interaction. By highlighting the emotional stakes of robot rejection, Davies has helped establish a new subfield focused on the psychological costs of technological failure, making his research essential for students and engineers designing more socially aware robotic systems.