The Influence of Culture on Attitudes Towards Humanoid and Animal-like Robots: An Integrative Review

Purpose The aim of the present review is to explore the influence of culture on attitudes towards humanoid and animal-like robots. Design Methods An integrative review of current evidence. Medline, CINAHL, PsycInfo, PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched from 2000 to 2017. A total of 22 articles met the inclusion criteria and were retrieved and analyzed. Findings Conclusions Culture influences attitudes and preferences towards robots, but due to the limitations of the reviewed studies, concrete conclusions cannot be made. More consistent evidence was found with regard to the influence of culture on nonverbal behaviors and communication styles, with people being more accepting of a robot that behaved more closely to their own culture. The research field of human-robot interaction provides the current evidence on the influence that culture has on attitudes towards humanoid and animal-like robots, but more research that is guided by strong theoretical frameworks is needed. Clinical Relevance With the increased use of humanoid robots in the healthcare system, it is imperative that nurses and other healthcare professionals explore and understand the different factors that can affect the use of robots with patients.