Can Social Robots Improve People’s Attitudes towards Individuals who Stutter?

Abstract

Public attitudes towards stuttering are rooted in stereotypes and misconceptions, leading to negative reactions and discrimination against individuals who stutter. Previous research highlights the positive impact of educational interventions on people’s attitudes towards stuttering. The potential of social robots as an educational tool in the context of stuttering awareness remains unexplored. In the present study, we investigate whether a social robot can improve public attitudes when giving an interactive presentation on the topic. We compare its impact with a tablet-only condition. Additionally, we differentiate between two robot conditions - one in which the robot imitates stuttering and another where the robot has fluent speech. In the robot conditions, visuals are shown on a tablet.We used a co-design approach and incorporated the perspectives and experiences of two individuals with lived experiences of stuttering into our study design. A user study with 69 participants reveals significant improvements in attitudes across all three conditions, with no significant difference between conditions. However, participants perceived the robot as significantly ‘warmer’, more ‘attractive’ and ‘novel’ when compared to the tablet. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of social robots as intervention techniques for improving attitudes in the field of stuttering.