Robots Versus Loneliness: Exploring the Potential of Using Social Robots to Assist Young Adults Struggling With Loneliness Robots Versus Loneliness

Particularly after the extensive phases of social distancing practiced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, young adults struggle severely with feelings of isolation and the associated mental and physical health problems. To tackle this issue, social robots could be used by young adults as companion to reduce acute loneliness and as social skills coach for long-term improvements. To investigate the potential of this approach, a preregistered online study involving 150 young adults was conducted. The study incorporated a video-based interaction with the social robot Pepper and quantitative as well as qualitative assessments to obtain in-depth insights regarding the target group’s thoughts and feelings. The findings indicate that using a social robot as training tool (to practice social situations and train social skills) is promising, while using it to fulfill social needs is viewed critically due to its shortcomings compared to a human interaction partner. Regarding individuals’ personal background, expectations shaped by science fiction and negative attitudes towards social robots need to be considered, a potentially negative effect of trait loneliness and need to belong calls for further research.