Robotics and Generation Z – Apprehension or attachment?

Abstract

Developments in technology resulted in rapid change over the past decades. The purpose of this exploratory research is to discover the positive emotional response of attachment and apprehension towards robotics of Generation Z. This exploratory study contributes to existing knowledge as it is based in the UAE and also studies gender differences within Generation Z. The theoretical framework is the change theory by Lewin (1951). A quantitative methodology was adopted. In total, 116 participants filled in a questionnaire consisting of the negative attitudes towards robots scale (NARS), robot anxiety scale (Nomura et al., 2006) and an eight-item scale of product emotional attachment by Schifferstein and Zwartkruis-Pelgrim (2008). The main finding is that Generation Z participants are in a process of change as they find themselves in a state of ambiguity and are undecided about their emotions towards robots in the workplace, however lean more towards feeling apprehensive, fearful and detached.