Perceptions of conversational group membership based on robots' spatial positioning: Effects of embodiment

Abstract

Robots' spatial positioning is a useful communication modality in social interactions. For example, in the context of group conversations, certain types of positioning signal membership to the group interaction. How does robot embodiment influence these perceptions? To investigate this question, we conducted an online study in which participants observed renderings of several robots in a social environment, and judged whether the robots were positioned to take part in a group conversation with other humans in the scene. Our results suggest that robot embodiment can influence perceptions of conversational group membership. An important factor to consider in this regard is whether robot embodiment leads to a discernible orientation for the agent.