中等拟人度机器人最易激发人类保护欲，反而突破了恐怖谷效应。
Beyond the Uncanny Valley: A Mixed-Method Investigation of Anthropomorphism in Protective Responses to Robot Abuse
- 通过视频实验对比三类机器人，分析拟人度对情绪与道德反应的影响。
- 中等拟人度机器人引发最强生理愤怒反应，自报愤怒与愧疚也最高。
- 研究提示机器人设计需考虑道德感知，适用于伦理、法律与政策制定者。
随着拟人化机器人日益普及，人类对其的感知与道德回应也随之变化。本研究探究不同拟人程度如何影响人们对机器人受虐行为的保护性反应，将计算机作为社会行动者（CASA）理论与恐怖谷效应拓展至道德领域。实验邀请201名参与者观看三类机器人遭受虐待的视频：低拟人度（Spider）、中等拟人度（Two-Foot）和高拟人度（Humanoid）。采用三角验证法，结合自评量表（情绪与恐怖感）、自动化面部表情分析的生理数据及定性反思。结果表明，保护反应并非线性增长。中等拟人度的Two-Foot机器人在‘脊背发凉’感上评分最高，生理愤怒表达最强。自报愤怒与愧疚在Two-Foot与Humanoid组显著高于Spider组。定性分析显示，随着拟人度提升，道德判断从财产损失评估转向对施暴者人格的谴责，治理建议也从财产法扩展至类动物权利与社会整体责任。研究揭示，恐怖谷并未削弱道德关注，反而激化保护冲动，为机器人设计、政策制定与未来法律框架提供关键启示。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Robots with anthropomorphic features are increasingly shaping how humans perceive and morally engage with them. Our research investigates how different levels of anthropomorphism influence protective responses to robot abuse, extending the Computers as Social Actors (CASA) and uncanny valley theories into a moral domain. In an experiment, we invite 201 participants to view videos depicting abuse toward a robot with low (Spider), moderate (Two-Foot), or high (Humanoid) anthropomorphism. To provide a comprehensive analysis, we triangulate three modalities: self-report surveys measuring emotions and uncanniness, physiological data from automated facial expression analysis, and qualitative reflections. Findings indicate that protective responses are not linear. The moderately anthropomorphic Two-Foot robot, rated highest in eeriness and "spine-tingling" sensations consistent with the uncanny valley, elicited the strongest physiological anger expressions. Self-reported anger and guilt are significantly higher for both the Two-Foot and Humanoid robots compared to the Spider. Qualitative findings further reveal that as anthropomorphism increases, moral reasoning shifts from technical assessments of property damage to condemnation of the abuser's character, while governance proposals expand from property law to calls for quasi-animal rights and broader societal responsibility. These results suggest that the uncanny valley does not dampen moral concern but paradoxically heightens protective impulses, offering critical implications for robot design, policy, and future legal frameworks.
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