Gender characteristics of service robots can influence customer decisions | Hacker News Reader

Gender characteristics of service robots can influence customer decisions

psu.edu

11 pointsgnabgib6 comments

> Service robots depicted in the study were the same except for the use of gray or pink colors to portray male or female genders, respectively. After receiving a menu recommendation, participants then rated the robot’s persuasiveness.

So they found out that different colors have an effect on how persuasive people perceive robots to be? And then they just claim that this is due to genders they associate to the colors? Their metric of a self reported sense of power also seems dubious to me.

This looks like junk science to me.

>To alter the gender portrayed in robots during the second study, the researchers used an iPad display showing different gendered facial features that topped a Bear Robotics Servi robot, which does not have any typical human-like features of its own. These facial features had “cute” designs, including round faces and big eyes.

Maybe read the article?

It's well studied that waitresses get tipped at a higher rate then waiters, the inclination that these human behaviors would be placed on semi-anthropic semi-gendered robots doesn't really seem like a big surprise to me.

Also how is gray a male color? If anything I’d say gray is non-binary.

Things like this are generally assumed to be male without a reason to gender them female, like being colored pink or having a bow or hearts drawn on or something. It may be sexist, but it's what people assume.

The next study from the Hospitality Management majors is going to be "Effects of an overflowing toilet on people's willingness to stay in their hotel rooms", and I'm sure they'll be as shocked at the results of that as I am of the results here.

Can we give the research funds to people who aren't the goddamn Marriott Professor of Lodging Management? Let Marriott fund that garbage.

Good, only female robots will drive cars and make robots will teach children.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com