Robots to the rescue: Robot discouragement reduces young adults’ risk-taking

A large body of evidence shows that peer pressure can increase risky behaviour, with more limited evidence indicating that peer pressure can also reduce risky behaviour. However, whether robots can extract a similar influence is an open and important question. To study this problem, 172 participants completed the balloon analogue risk task under three conditions: control (no robot present), the presence of an encouraging robot and the presence of a discouraging robot. Participants also completed a self-report measure evaluating their risk attitude and one designed to assess attitudes towards robots. Results revealed that participants in the robot-discouraging condition exhibited significantly reduced risky behaviours compared to those in the robot-encouraging and control conditions. They pumped significantly fewer times, experienced significantly fewer balloon explosions and earned significantly less money compared to the control or encouraging condition. However, we did not find a significant effect between the encouraging and the control conditions. Moreover, a more positive impression of the robot increased the effect of the robot’s discouraging statements on risk-taking. The results of our study open new possibilities for the employment of robots in preventive programmes designed to reduce or alter risky behaviour.