{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4415821487","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ro-man63969.2025.11217619","title":"Embodied AI as Companion: How Loneliness, Gender, and Culture Shape Attitudes towards AI and Robots","display_name":"Embodied AI as Companion: How Loneliness, Gender, and Culture Shape Attitudes towards AI and Robots","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-08-25","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4415821487","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ro-man63969.2025.11217619"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/ro-man63969.2025.11217619","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ro-man63969.2025.11217619","pdf_url":null,"source":null,"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"2025 34th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)","raw_type":"proceedings-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/preview/4749687/Heck_Embodied%20AI%20as%20Companion.pdf","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5120235643","display_name":"Franziska E. Heck","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Franziska E. Heck","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5009859929","display_name":"Emilia Sobolewska","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3294-8261"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Emilia Sobolewska","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5008621294","display_name":"Debbie Meharg","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5323-8018"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Debbie Meharg","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5058898173","display_name":"Khristin Fabian","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6321-2703"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Khristin Fabian","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":4,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5120235643"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":2.8331,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":1,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.92935749,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":91,"max":95},"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":"1251","last_page":"1256"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12128","display_name":"AI in Service Interactions","score":0.4440000057220459,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12128","display_name":"AI in Service Interactions","score":0.4440000057220459,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10709","display_name":"Social Robot Interaction and HRI","score":0.40639999508857727,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11636","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education","score":0.02329999953508377,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2718","display_name":"Health Informatics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/loneliness","display_name":"Loneliness","score":0.9070000052452087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/psychological-intervention","display_name":"Psychological intervention","score":0.5486000180244446},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embodied-cognition","display_name":"Embodied cognition","score":0.5461999773979187},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/affect","display_name":"Affect (linguistics)","score":0.5421000123023987},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/mental-health","display_name":"Mental health","score":0.4417000114917755},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/preference","display_name":"Preference","score":0.4244000017642975},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/negativity-effect","display_name":"Negativity effect","score":0.41269999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/skepticism","display_name":"Skepticism","score":0.38580000400543213}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779998236","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223270","display_name":"Loneliness","level":2,"score":0.9070000052452087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.7089999914169312},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C27415008","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7256382","display_name":"Psychological intervention","level":2,"score":0.5486000180244446},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100609095","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335050","display_name":"Embodied cognition","level":2,"score":0.5461999773979187},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776035688","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1606558","display_name":"Affect (linguistics)","level":2,"score":0.5421000123023987},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.5241000056266785},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C134362201","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q317309","display_name":"Mental health","level":2,"score":0.4417000114917755},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781249084","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q908656","display_name":"Preference","level":2,"score":0.4244000017642975},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C7453019","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16254302","display_name":"Negativity effect","level":2,"score":0.41269999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C18296254","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1395219","display_name":"Skepticism","level":2,"score":0.38580000400543213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C122980154","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205555","display_name":"Feeling","level":2,"score":0.33320000767707825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C90509273","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11012","display_name":"Robot","level":2,"score":0.32989999651908875},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138496976","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175002","display_name":"Developmental psychology","level":1,"score":0.31630000472068787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C174107131","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191591","display_name":"Emotional intelligence","level":2,"score":0.313400000333786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C518677369","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202833","display_name":"Social media","level":2,"score":0.30379998683929443},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162947575","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2005645","display_name":"Social robot","level":5,"score":0.29159998893737793},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776716606","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1761451","display_name":"Embarrassment","level":2,"score":0.28949999809265137},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17022365","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q171995","display_name":"Individualism","level":2,"score":0.2833999991416931},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778087770","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2297111","display_name":"Social support","level":2,"score":0.2815999984741211},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75795011","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q917904","display_name":"Typology","level":2,"score":0.26930001378059387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C25032326","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q185467","display_name":"Socialization","level":2,"score":0.2635999917984009},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C87156501","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7268708","display_name":"Qualitative property","level":2,"score":0.2614000141620636},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.2508000135421753}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/ro-man63969.2025.11217619","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ro-man63969.2025.11217619","pdf_url":null,"source":null,"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"2025 34th IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)","raw_type":"proceedings-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:repository@napier.ac.uk:4749689","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/4749689","pdf_url":"https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/preview/4749687/Heck_Embodied%20AI%20as%20Companion.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402591","display_name":"Edinburgh Napier Research Repository (Edinburgh Napier University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I251738","host_organization_name":"Edinburgh Napier University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I251738"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"acceptedVersion"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:repository@napier.ac.uk:4749689","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/4749689","pdf_url":"https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/preview/4749687/Heck_Embodied%20AI%20as%20Companion.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402591","display_name":"Edinburgh Napier Research Repository (Edinburgh Napier University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I251738","host_organization_name":"Edinburgh Napier University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I251738"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"acceptedVersion"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4415821487.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W4415821487.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":37,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W2085059413","https://openalex.org/W2100695323","https://openalex.org/W2105846236","https://openalex.org/W2162201158","https://openalex.org/W2557013307","https://openalex.org/W2766435501","https://openalex.org/W2889117809","https://openalex.org/W3012228425","https://openalex.org/W3022528244","https://openalex.org/W3033293603","https://openalex.org/W3125770638","https://openalex.org/W3164743056","https://openalex.org/W3168923721","https://openalex.org/W3202181200","https://openalex.org/W4207072548","https://openalex.org/W4225315134","https://openalex.org/W4235678817","https://openalex.org/W4250223980","https://openalex.org/W4251189184","https://openalex.org/W4282971146","https://openalex.org/W4282979860","https://openalex.org/W4284961213","https://openalex.org/W4285022345","https://openalex.org/W4290963710","https://openalex.org/W4294190226","https://openalex.org/W4299627282","https://openalex.org/W4300689645","https://openalex.org/W4312063065","https://openalex.org/W4380049879","https://openalex.org/W4386917399","https://openalex.org/W4387570685","https://openalex.org/W4401748249","https://openalex.org/W4402368792","https://openalex.org/W4403777967","https://openalex.org/W4406192375","https://openalex.org/W4408078086","https://openalex.org/W4410976951"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Loneliness":[0],"among":[1],"university":[2],"students":[3],"is":[4],"a":[5,36,56],"widespread":[6],"problem,":[7],"affecting":[8],"mental":[9],"health":[10],"and":[11,46,60,73,77,142,164,170,189,195],"academic":[12],"performance.":[13],"While":[14],"AI-driven":[15],"chatbots":[16],"offer":[17,43],"digital":[18],"companionship,":[19,113],"their":[20,26,112],"lack":[21],"of":[22,38,55,64,199],"embodiment":[23],"may":[24],"limit":[25],"ability":[27],"to":[28],"foster":[29],"meaningful":[30],"connections.":[31],"In":[32],"contrast,":[33],"social":[34,53,58,100],"robots,":[35,74,105],"form":[37],"embodied":[39],"artificial":[40],"intelligence":[41],"(EAI),":[42],"physical":[44],"presence":[45],"non-verbal":[47],"interaction.":[48],"This":[49],"study":[50],"examines":[51],"how":[52,187],"(lack":[54,63],"broad":[57],"network)":[59],"emotional":[61,66,115],"loneliness":[62,101,116,188],"close":[65],"bonds)":[67],"influence":[68],"students'":[69],"attitudes":[70,126,192],"towards":[71,104,119,127,140,162,193],"AI":[72,163,169,194],"considering":[75],"gender":[76],"cultural":[78],"background.":[79],"A":[80],"cross-sectional":[81],"online":[82],"survey":[83],"(N":[84],"=":[85],"250)":[86],"was":[87],"analysed":[88],"using":[89],"Partial":[90],"Least":[91],"Squares":[92],"Structural":[93],"Equation":[94],"Modelling":[95],"(PLS-SEM).":[96],"Results":[97],"show":[98,159],"that":[99,178],"reduces":[102],"negativity":[103,139],"but":[106,121,156],"does":[107,122,151],"not":[108,123,152],"increase":[109],"preference":[110],"for":[111,202],"while":[114],"increases":[117],"scepticism":[118],"AI,":[120],"significantly":[124],"affect":[125],"robots.":[128,165],"Gender":[129],"moderates":[130],"these":[131,154],"effects,":[132],"with":[133,168,173],"emotionally":[134],"lonely":[135,144],"women":[136,145],"expressing":[137,146],"greater":[138,147],"robots":[141,171],"socially":[143],"openness.":[148],"Cultural":[149],"background":[150],"moderate":[153],"relationships,":[155],"individualistic":[157],"participants":[158],"less":[160],"positivity":[161],"Frequent":[166],"interaction":[167],"correlates":[172],"more":[174],"positive":[175],"attitudes,":[176],"suggesting":[177],"familiarity":[179],"promotes":[180],"acceptance.":[181],"These":[182],"findings":[183],"provide":[184],"insights":[185],"into":[186],"demographics":[190],"shape":[191],"inform":[196],"the":[197],"development":[198],"EAI":[200],"interventions":[201],"student":[203],"well-being.":[204]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-03-07T16:01:11.037858","created_date":"2025-11-03T00:00:00"}