Equality for All? Discursive anthropomorphic framing in social robotics

Abstract

This thesis explores discursive framing of anthropomorphism (i.e. attributing human attributes to something non-human, here: the social robot) in social robotics literature. Moreover, it focuses on shifting realities as a result of technology. As argued, social robots are a particularly powerful form of technology as they are increasingly perceived as actors, rather than tools. By employing a poststructuralist discourse analysis, the present research contends that the social robot consistently challenges preconceived notions of human identity as it is placed antagonistically opposite the human through competition for a shared identity. There is a clear lack of ethical and moral discussion enveloping the field and instead, social robots are triumphalized to a great extent. Continued collaborative efforts are required in debating how we wish to frame the social robot and, consequently and ultimately, whether we wish to have equality for all.