Emotional support in the context of psychological caregiving is an important aspect of human–human interaction that can significantly increase well-being. In this study, we tested if non-verbal gestures of a non-humanoid robot can increase emotional support in a human–human interaction. Sixty-four participants were invited in pairs to take turns in disclosing a personal problem and responding in a supportive manner. In the experimental condition, the robotic object performed emphatic gestures, modeled according to the behavior of a trained therapist. In the baseline condition, the robotic object performed up-and-down gestures, without directing attention towards the participants. Findings show that the robot’s empathy-related gestures significantly improved the emotional support quality provided by one participant to another, as indicated by both subjective and objective measures. The non-humanoid robot was perceived as peripheral to the natural human–human interaction and influenced participants’ behavior without interfering. We conclude that non-humanoid gestures of a robotic object can enhance the quality of emotional support in intimate human–human interaction.

在心理关怀中提供情感支持是人与人互动的一个重要方面，可以显着提高人们的福祉。在这项研究中，我们测试了非人形机器人的非语言手势是否可以增加人与人互动中的情感支持。成对邀请了64位参与者轮流公开个人问题并以支持的方式做出回应。在实验条件下，根据训练有素的治疗师的行为，机器人对象执行了强调手势。在基准条件下，机器人对象会执行上下手势，而不会将注意力引向参与者。研究结果表明，与机器人的移情相关的手势显着提高了一个参与者向另一参与者提供的情感支持质量，正如主观和客观指标所表明的那样。非人形机器人被认为是自然人与人之间互动的外围，并在不干扰的情况下影响了参与者的行为。我们得出的结论是，机器人对象的非人形手势可以提高人与人之间亲密互动中的情感支持质量。