This paper discuss the phenomenon of empathy in social robotics and is divided into three main parts. Initially, I analyse whether it is correct to use this concept to study and describe people’s reactions to robots. I present arguments in favour of the position that people actually do empathise with robots. I also consider what circumstances shape human empathy with these entities. I propose that two basic classes of such factors be distinguished: biological and socio-cognitive. In my opinion, one of the most important among them is a sense of group membership with robots, as it modulates the empathic responses to representatives of our- and other- groups. The sense of group membership with robots may be co-shaped by socio-cognitive factors such as one’s experience, familiarity with the robot and its history, motivation, accepted ontology, stereotypes or language. Finally, I argue in favour of the formulation of a pragmatic and normative framework for manipulations in the level of empathy in human–robot interactions.

本文讨论了社交机器人中的移情现象，分为三个主要部分。最初，我分析使用此概念研究和描述人们对机器人的反应是否正确。我提出的观点是人们对机器人的同情。我还考虑了什么情况会影响人们对这些实体的同情。我建议区分这些因素的两个基本类别：生物学和社会认知。在我看来，其中最重要的一种是使用机器人的组成员身份感，因为它调节了对我们和其他组代表的共情反应。机器人的组员身份感可能受社会认知因素的共同影响，这些因素包括个人的经验，对机器人及其历史的熟悉程度，动机，公认的本体，刻板印象或语言。最后，我主张建立一种务实和规范的框架，以便在人机交互中对同理心进行操纵。