Language matters: humanizing service robots through the use of language during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Service robots are emerging quickly in the marketplace (e.g., in hotels, restaurants, and healthcare), especially as COVID-19-related health concerns and social distancing guidelines have affected people's desire and ability to interact with other humans. However, while robots can increase efficiency and enable service offerings with reduced human contact, prior research shows a systematic consumer aversion toward service robots relative to human service providers. This potential dilemma raises the managerial question of how firms can overcome consumer aversion and better employ service robots. Drawing on prior research that supports the use of language for building interpersonal relationships, this research examines whether the type of language (social-oriented vs. task-oriented language)

SUBMITTER: Kumar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9020763 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature