A comparison of trust measures in human–robot interaction scenarios

Abstract

When studying Human–Robot Interaction (HRI), we often employ measures of trust. Trust is essential in HRI, as inappropriate levels of trust result in misuse, abuse, or disuse of that robot. Some measures of trust specifically target automation, while others specifically target HRI. Although robots are a type of automation, it is unclear which of the broader factors that define automation are shared by robots. However, measurements of trust in automation and trust in robots should theoretically still yield similar results. We examined an HRI scenario using (1) an automation trust scale and (2) a robotic trust scale. Findings indicated conflicting results coming from these respective trust scales. It may well be that these two trust scales examine separate constructs and are therefore not interchangeable. This discord shows us that future evaluations are required to identify scale appropriate context applications for either automation or robotic operations.