How facial expressions and small talk may influence trust in a robot

Abstract

In this study, we address the level of trust that a human being displays during an interaction with a robot under different circumstances. The influencing factors considered are the facial expressions of a robot during the interactions, as well as the ability of making small talk. To examine these influences, we ran an experiment in which a robot tells a story to a participant, and then asks for help in form of donations. The experiment was implemented in four different scenarios in order to examine the two influencing factors on trust. The results showed the highest level of trust gained when the robot starts with small talk and expresses facial expression in the same direction of storytelling expected emotion.