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About

Zachary Carlson investigates the social dynamics of human-robot interaction, focusing on how people perceive and respond to mistreatment of robotic and computer agents. His research reveals that individuals attribute greater emotional capability to robots than to computers, leading to distinct reactions when these agents are treated aggressively. In his most cited work, "Too big to be mistreated?" (33 citations), Carlson demonstrates that a robot’s physical size influences perceptions of mistreatment, with larger robots eliciting less concern. His follow-up study (29 citations) further explores how observers perceive emotional capacity in robots following aggressive treatment, highlighting the nuanced empathy people extend toward machines. Carlson also examines practical applications, such as team-building activities for heterogeneous human-robot groups (10 citations), and continues to refine understanding of perceived animacy differences between robots and computers. His work has significant implications for designing socially integrated robots and anticipating human responses in collaborative environments. By bridging social psychology and robotics, Carlson contributes foundational insights into how mistreatment shapes human-robot relationships, informing both ethical design and real-world deployment of autonomous systems.