Imaginary Friends: Social Robots, Empathy, and the Future of Emotional Support

In a previous article, we explored the potential of social robots to provide non-judgmental, attentive listening experiences that enhance human well-being. This article explores how using social robots as a complement or even replacement for human emotional interactions might affect humanity, for better or worse.

Filling the Gap: Social Robots as an Alternative

Why so many people are emotionally unwell and why there is a misalignment between human needs and available support is a subject for another discussion.

But regardless of the reasons we believe are behind our world-wide mental health challenge, social robots are emerging as an important alternative in addressing the growing need for emotional support. Robots can fill a critical gap, and given the pace of technological advancements, they could do it faster than any other measures.

Research has shown that social robots can reduce pain and distress in hospitalized children, improve engagement and social interaction in patients with dementia, and alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety in various populations[1][2]. These robots offer consistent, non-judgmental companionship, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals who feel isolated or stigmatized.

Social robots are already proven to be helpful in addressing an unfulfilled human need. How does their help differ from the support offered by human beings?

The Human Heart: What Humans Offer Beyond Robots

While social robots can undeniably provide valuable support, they cannot fully replicate the depth of human emotional interactions. Robots do not feel emotions and cannot care, even if they can be programmed to emulate these experiences. Humans can offer authentic compassion, empathy, care, and love, which are essential for a good life.

It is important to remember that human beings need not only to receive, but also to offer kindness in order to be well. Studies have shown that practicing empathy not only helps others feel understood and supported but also enhances the well-being of the empathetic individual, reducing stress and increasing emotional resilience [3][4].

The ways in which a good-hearted human being helps everyone around are many, and one of the most interesting observations come from the HeartMath Institute and their research on the effect of the human heart on the environment. Their studies suggest that the human heart generates a powerful electromagnetic field that can be detected by other people and even by sophisticated magnetometers several feet away [5]. This field is believed to carry emotional information and can influence those around us. For instance, one person’s heart rhythm patterns can affect another’s brainwaves, and heart-brain synchronization can occur between two people when they interact [6]. This phenomenon, often referred to as “heart coherence,” is associated with increased emotional stability, reduced stress, and improved cognitive function.

Such findings highlight the profound and subtle ways in which human presence and emotional states can impact others – an effect that current robotic technology cannot replicate. Science confirms what we already know – the unique value of human-to-human interactions.

Robots as Reminders: Enhancing Human Empathy

Some may be concerned about the possibility of robots tending to the emotional needs of patients, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups. But realistically, unless more humans become available for the job, the alternative is to offer no help at all for many of these people.

People in caring professions and everyone who already feels and practices empathy but is exhausted by the sheer size of the challenge could find a great ally in social robots that create the time for enough rest and recuperation.

In general, most of us could probably welcome having an always available, attentive and supportive imaginary friend for the times when a robotic interaction is enough to get us back up and going.

Ultimately, engaging with social robots could very well remind humans of the importance of empathy and compassion, and help us relax enough to rediscover the kindness of our own heart. A study by Stock-Homburg suggests that human responses to robotic emotions can positively influence how people perceive and express their own emotions, enhancing human emotional intelligence [7].

The Future of Human-Robot Interaction

As social robots continue to be integrated into the fabric of our societies, it is up to us to use this merging as a way to facilitate, restore and enhance the quality of human interactions.

If our goal is to use this technology to strengthen our capacity for empathy and understanding, not to outsource it, then we will have created a truly useful tool on the path to a more aware, compassionate, united and thriving human world.

Sources:

[1] Social Robot Interventions in Mental Health Care and Their Outcomes. NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9066335/
[2] Use of Social Robots in Mental Health and Well-Being Research. JMIR. Retrieved from https://www.jmir.org/2019/7/e13322/
[3] Klimecki, O. M., Leiberg, S., Ricard, M., & Singer, T. (2014). Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(6), 873-879
[4] Teding van Berkhout, E., & Malouff, J. M. (2016). The efficacy of empathy training: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(1), 32-41
[5] McCraty, R. (2015). Science of the Heart, Volume 2: Exploring the Role of the Heart in Human Performance. HeartMath Institute.
[6] McCraty, R., Atkinson, M., Tomasino, D., & Bradley, R. T. (2009). The coherent heart: Heart-brain interactions, psychophysiological coherence, and the emergence of system-wide order. Integral Review, 5(2), 10-115.
[7] Stock-Homburg, R. (2021). Survey of Emotions in Human–Robot Interactions: Perspectives from Robotic Psychology on 20 Years of Research. SpringerLink. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12369-021-00778-6