George Mason PhD student looks at deception and human-robot interactions

Colleen Rich — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:20:46 +0000

George Mason PhD student looks at deception and human-robot interactions Colleen Rich Thu, 02/13/2025 - 09:20

How likely are humans to trust a robot, especially if that robot has the capacity to lie? This is the question ��AV psychology doctoral candidate Andres Rosero is exploring in his research on human-robot interaction.

George Mason PhD candidate Andres Rosero, pictured here with "Pepper," is exploring deception and human-robot interactions. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“As robots become more integrated in human society, their roles will transition into those of a collaborative nature rather than as tools used by people,” said Rosero, who works in Applied Psychology and Autonomous Systems (ALPHAS) Lab in the Human Factors and Applied Cognition Program. “In response, these robots must be programmed with enough social awareness to navigate complex interpersonal interactions to build relationships and maintain a positive interaction with the humans they share their environment with.”

Almost 500 participants took part in Rosero's study “Human perceptions of social robot deception behaviors: an exploratory analysis,” which he conducted with George Mason graduate teaching assistant Harris Kelly and psychology professor Elizabeth Phillips. This study gauges how likely participants are to accept a lie told by a robot in various situational contexts and is one of the three manuscripts that comprise Rosero's dissertation.

Participants ranked specific scenarios involving robot deception and evaluated how deceptive the lie was, whether they approved of the robot’s actions, and if the robot’s behavior could be justified. The study placed these scenarios into three different environments: medical, domestic, and retail.

“The goal is to examine human perceptions of AI and robot collaborations across different complex social interactions,” explains Rosero, who received an MA in psychology from George Mason in 2022. “This study is one of two that examine moral norms in robots and how in breaking these moral norms, humans accept and justify the robot's behaviors.”

Each environment presented a unique quandary for the participant. For example, in the medical environment, the robot lied to a patient with Alzheimer’s, telling the patient that her deceased husband was coming home. In the other environments, the robot was evasive rather than uttering false statements.

In the domestic environment, the robot did not reveal to the individual that they were being secretly filmed. And in the retail environment, the robot did not disclose that it was capable of completing an assigned task and didn’t require human assistance. Overall, participants widely believed the robot’s lie in the first scenario, but once the robot’s capacity for deception and manipulation was revealed, they became less trusting. They also were more likely to say that the robot’s behavior in the medical environment was justified than in the other two scenarios.

“Any technology that is designed with the intention of being utilized by people is an intersection of that technology and the humanities,” said Rosero. “Our challenge as psychologists is to design experiments that properly explore this interaction to provide direction to the development of these technologies in the real world.”

Technology’s ability to potentially conceal its true capabilities remains a concern of Rosero, as a focus on human-robot dynamics continues to fuel his research. "I am planning on defending my dissertation in the summer, and I am hoping to continue doing human factors research,” says Rosero. “My goal is to conduct impactful research that can assist people in their interactions with cutting-edge technology.”

When offering advice to students in an age of artificial intelligence and its advancements, Rosero recommends understanding “the practical applications of your work.”

“As an applied psychologist, one of the most important questions I ask myself is how my research can be applied in the real world,” he said. “It is important to understand how your work helps to build upon the current knowledge of the field and how it could impact the development of the larger technology in society.”

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Artificial Intelligence

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

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Temple Grandin discusses her advocacy work with George Mason students

Katarina Benson — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 17:09:56 +0000

Temple Grandin discusses her advocacy work with George Mason students Katarina Benson Mon, 02/10/2025 - 12:09

In January, renowned author, animal scientist, and autism advocate Temple Grandin came to ��AV’s Fairfax Campus for a series of talks and Q&A sessions. With support from the Department of Psychology, she was hosted by the student organization Students in Neuroscience as part of their speaker series.

Temple Grandin speaking to the Mason community. Photo provided.

Grandin champions the humane treatment of animal livestock. Diagnosed with autism at an early age, she stands as an autism self-advocate and has previously noted how her autism advances her ability to understand and empathize with animals.

George Mason students, faculty, alumni, and community members gathered in Merten Hall on the Fairfax Campus to witness Grandin’s work as she presented talks and responded to audience questions throughout the day. She answered questions about her research, personal aspirations, and career journey, and gave advice for autistic individuals, especially children and adults facing challenges in school and higher education.

In addition to her two presentations, Grandin spent multiple hours speaking to individuals and small groups of people. Neuroscience major Ashir Bhatti, a member of Students in Neuroscience, is currently conducting research focused on the ethical use of ejiao (donkey collagen) in Chinese skin care products. He said he appreciated the opportunity to discuss his research with Grandin.

“We [asked] Dr. Grandin to come and speak because we recognize the benefits of her interdisciplinary knowledge and how it could benefit those studying neuroscience, psychology and beyond,” he said.

“It was a great day," said Tim Curby, chair of the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. "Hearing Dr. Grandin speak in-person about her research on both animal behavior and autism, while also taking the time to our questions, served as an encouragement personally and professionally for all of us who were there.”

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College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College of Science

Students

Camille Rimbawa

George Mason PhD student looks at deception and human-robot interactions

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Temple Grandin discusses her advocacy work with George Mason students

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