Can a social robot be too warm or too competent? Older Chinese adults’ perceptions of social robots and vulnerabilities

Social robots can be an effective solution for the challenges facing an aging population. In this study, we apply the warmth and competence theoretical framework (Fiske et al., 2007) and the “computers as social actors” theory (Reeves & Nass, 1996) to understand how older Chinese adults perceive social robots. We surveyed 1480 Chinese older adults living in rural areas in Mainland China and tested two alternative hypotheses predicting the...