Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions

Elizabeth C.J. van Oost; Darren Reed

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9

Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions

Elizabeth C.J. van Oost, Darren Reed

Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences

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

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Abstract

While Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have, in the past, primarily mediated or facilitated emotional bonding between humans, contemporary robot technologies are increasingly making the bond between human and robots the core issue. Thinking of robots as companions is not only a development that opens up huge potential for new applications, it also raises social and ethical issues. In this paper we will argue that current conceptions of human-robot companionship are primarily rooted in cognitive psychological traditions and provide important, yet limited understanding of the companion relationship. Elaborating on a sociological perspective on the appropriation of new technology, we will argue for a richer understanding of companionship that takes the situatedness (in location, network and time) of the use-context into account.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Human Robot Personal Relationships: Third International Conference, HRPR 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 23-24, 2010, Revised Selected Papers
Editors	Maarten H. Lamers, Fons J. Verbeek
Place of Publication	Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London
Publisher	Springer
Pages	11-18
ISBN (Print)	978-3-642-19384-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9_2
Publication status	Published - 23 Jun 2011
Event	3rd International Conference on Human Robot Personal Relationships, HRPR 2010 - Leiden, Netherlands Duration: 23 Jun 2010 → 24 Jun 2010 Conference number: 3

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering
Publisher	Springer
Number	vol. 59
Volume	59
ISSN (Print)	1867-8211
ISSN (Electronic)	1867-8211

Conference

Conference	3rd International Conference on Human Robot Personal Relationships, HRPR 2010
Abbreviated title	HRPR
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Leiden
Period	23/06/10 → 24/06/10

Keywords

METIS-288342
Social robots – companionship – sociology
IR-79329

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van Oost, E. C. J., & Reed, D. (2011). Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions. In M. H. Lamers, & F. J. Verbeek (Eds.), Human Robot Personal Relationships: Third International Conference, HRPR 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 23-24, 2010, Revised Selected Papers (pp. 11-18). (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering; Vol. 59, No. vol. 59). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9_2

van Oost, Elizabeth C.J. ; Reed, Darren. / Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions. Human Robot Personal Relationships: Third International Conference, HRPR 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 23-24, 2010, Revised Selected Papers. editor / Maarten H. Lamers ; Fons J. Verbeek. Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London : Springer, 2011. pp. 11-18 (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering; vol. 59).

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van Oost, ECJ & Reed, D 2011, Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions. in MH Lamers & FJ Verbeek (eds), Human Robot Personal Relationships: Third International Conference, HRPR 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 23-24, 2010, Revised Selected Papers. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, no. vol. 59, vol. 59, Springer, Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, pp. 11-18, 3rd International Conference on Human Robot Personal Relationships, HRPR 2010, Leiden, Netherlands, 23/06/10. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9_2

Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions. / van Oost, Elizabeth C.J.; Reed, Darren.
Human Robot Personal Relationships: Third International Conference, HRPR 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 23-24, 2010, Revised Selected Papers. ed. / Maarten H. Lamers; Fons J. Verbeek. Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London: Springer, 2011. p. 11-18 (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering; Vol. 59, No. vol. 59).

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

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AB - While Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have, in the past, primarily mediated or facilitated emotional bonding between humans, contemporary robot technologies are increasingly making the bond between human and robots the core issue. Thinking of robots as companions is not only a development that opens up huge potential for new applications, it also raises social and ethical issues. In this paper we will argue that current conceptions of human-robot companionship are primarily rooted in cognitive psychological traditions and provide important, yet limited understanding of the companion relationship. Elaborating on a sociological perspective on the appropriation of new technology, we will argue for a richer understanding of companionship that takes the situatedness (in location, network and time) of the use-context into account.

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van Oost ECJ, Reed D. Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions. In Lamers MH, Verbeek FJ, editors, Human Robot Personal Relationships: Third International Conference, HRPR 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 23-24, 2010, Revised Selected Papers. Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London: Springer. 2011. p. 11-18. (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering; vol. 59). doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9, 10.1007/978-3-642-19385-9_2

Towards a Sociological Understanding of Robots as Compagnions

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