Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces

Ana Müller; Lydia Penkert; Sebastian Schneider; Anja Richert

doi:10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529

Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces

Ana Müller
, Lydia Penkert
, Sebastian Schneider
, Anja Richert

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Current research on the impact of gender appearance in virtual agents and social robots highlights the danger of transmitting and solidifying existing gender stereotypes. To investigate gender-stereotyped interaction at public spaces in dependency of virtual agents gender, we varied the gender of a virtual agent at a metro station. We used an ethnographic study approach, combining a two-day behavior observation with semi-structured interviews with descriptive and qualitative system log analysis of four weeks. Our results show that topics of conversation differ in dependency of the virtual agents gender: the male virtual agent was asked about topics such as brothels, drugs and alcohol and insulted frequently, while the female one was asked for relationship status or about flirting.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	1592-1597
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	978-1-7281-8859-1
ISBN (Print)	978-1-6654-0680-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529
Publication status	Published - 30 Sept 2022
Externally published	Yes
Event	2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2022 - Naples, Italy Duration: 29 Aug 2022 → 2 Sept 2022 http://www.smile.unina.it/ro-man2022/

Publication series

Name	International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication
Publisher	IEEE
ISSN (Print)	1944-9445
ISSN (Electronic)	1944-9437

Conference

Conference	2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2022
Abbreviated title	RO-MAN
Country/Territory	Italy
City	Naples
Period	29/08/22 → 2/09/22
Internet address	http://www.smile.unina.it/ro-man2022/

Keywords

n/a OA procedure
Drugs
Social robots
Oral communication
Behavioral sciences
Interviews
Space stations
Faces
feminist HCI
virtual agent
gender stereotyping
public spaces

Access to Document

10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529

Cite this

Müller, A., Penkert, L., Schneider, S., & Richert, A. (2022). Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces. In 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN) (pp. 1592-1597). (International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529

@inproceedings{8233313802ea49e9bf5f2c6b492c0192,

title = "Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces",

abstract = "Current research on the impact of gender appearance in virtual agents and social robots highlights the danger of transmitting and solidifying existing gender stereotypes. To investigate gender-stereotyped interaction at public spaces in dependency of virtual agents gender, we varied the gender of a virtual agent at a metro station. We used an ethnographic study approach, combining a two-day behavior observation with semi-structured interviews with descriptive and qualitative system log analysis of four weeks. Our results show that topics of conversation differ in dependency of the virtual agents gender: the male virtual agent was asked about topics such as brothels, drugs and alcohol and insulted frequently, while the female one was asked for relationship status or about flirting.",

keywords = "n/a OA procedure, Drugs, Social robots, Oral communication, Behavioral sciences, Interviews, Space stations, Faces, feminist HCI, virtual agent, gender stereotyping, public spaces",

author = "Ana M{\"u}ller and Lydia Penkert and Sebastian Schneider and Anja Richert",

year = "2022",

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doi = "10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529",

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booktitle = "2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)",

address = "United States",

note = "2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2022, RO-MAN ; Conference date: 29-08-2022 Through 02-09-2022",

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Müller, A, Penkert, L, Schneider, S & Richert, A 2022, Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces. in 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN). International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, IEEE, pp. 1592-1597, 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2022, Naples, Italy, 29/08/22. https://doi.org/10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529

Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces. / Müller, Ana; Penkert, Lydia; Schneider, Sebastian et al.
2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN). IEEE, 2022. p. 1592-1597 (International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces

AU - Müller, Ana

AU - Penkert, Lydia

AU - Schneider, Sebastian

AU - Richert, Anja

PY - 2022/9/30

Y1 - 2022/9/30

N2 - Current research on the impact of gender appearance in virtual agents and social robots highlights the danger of transmitting and solidifying existing gender stereotypes. To investigate gender-stereotyped interaction at public spaces in dependency of virtual agents gender, we varied the gender of a virtual agent at a metro station. We used an ethnographic study approach, combining a two-day behavior observation with semi-structured interviews with descriptive and qualitative system log analysis of four weeks. Our results show that topics of conversation differ in dependency of the virtual agents gender: the male virtual agent was asked about topics such as brothels, drugs and alcohol and insulted frequently, while the female one was asked for relationship status or about flirting.

AB - Current research on the impact of gender appearance in virtual agents and social robots highlights the danger of transmitting and solidifying existing gender stereotypes. To investigate gender-stereotyped interaction at public spaces in dependency of virtual agents gender, we varied the gender of a virtual agent at a metro station. We used an ethnographic study approach, combining a two-day behavior observation with semi-structured interviews with descriptive and qualitative system log analysis of four weeks. Our results show that topics of conversation differ in dependency of the virtual agents gender: the male virtual agent was asked about topics such as brothels, drugs and alcohol and insulted frequently, while the female one was asked for relationship status or about flirting.

KW - n/a OA procedure

KW - Drugs

KW - Social robots

KW - Oral communication

KW - Behavioral sciences

KW - Interviews

KW - Space stations

KW - Faces

KW - feminist HCI

KW - virtual agent

KW - gender stereotyping

KW - public spaces

U2 - 10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529

DO - 10.1109/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900529

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978-1-6654-0680-2

T3 - International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication

SP - 1592

EP - 1597

BT - 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)

PB - IEEE

T2 - 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, RO-MAN 2022

Y2 - 29 August 2022 through 2 September 2022

ER -

Investigating gender-stereotyped interactions with virtual agents in public spaces

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

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