The effect of Japanese-English code-switching in human-robot social interaction.

Abstract

The usage and study of conversational robots are expanding across various social domains. Additionally, modern robots are multilingual, enabling interaction with diverse groups. However, when a robot's secondary language isn't fully comprehended, individuals may feel ignored, rejected, or excluded, a phenomenon known as ``ostracism." Although this has been studied in multilingual and code-switching contexts, it hasn't been specifically examined in human-robot interactions. Thus, investigating the psychological impact of robots' code-switching on users is crucial. This study explores how Japanese-English code-switching by conversational robots influences users' ostracism and SoBA (Sense of Being Attended to) scales. Specifically, this study also examined the differences in the impact of Japanese-English code-switching on men and women. The goal is to contribute to the development of more effective and inclusive human-robot interaction systems.