Journal Article

Social Robots as Embedded Reinforcers of Social Behavior in Children with Autism

Kim, Elizabeth S., Shic, Frederick, Paul, Rhea, Berkovits, Lauren D., Leyzberg, Dan, Scassellati, Brian, Bernier, Emily P.

2013

Overview

In this study we examined the social behaviors of 4- to 12-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; N = 24) during three tradic interactions with an adult confederate and an interaction partner, where the interaction partner varied randomly among (1) another adult human, (2) a touchscreen computer game, and (3) a social dinosaur robot. Children spoke more in general, and directed more speech to the adult confederate, when the interaction partner was a robot, as compared to a human or computer game interaction partner. Children spoke as much to the robot as to the adult interaction partner. This study provides the largest demonstration of social human-robot interaction in children with autism to date. Our findings suggest that social robots may be developed into useful tools for social skills and communication therapies, specifically by embedding social interaction into intrinsic reinforcers and motivators.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adults / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic children / Autistic spectrum disorders / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Biological and medical sciences / Care and treatment / Child / Child and School Psychology / Child Behavior - psychology / Child clinical studies / Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - psychology / Child, Preschool / Children / Communication / Communication Skills / Computer & video games / Computer Games / Computers / Cross-Over Studies / Developmental disorders / Disorders / Evidence / Female / Human-computer interaction / Humans / Infantile autism / Interaction / Interpersonal Communication / Interpersonal Competence / Interpersonal Relations / Interpersonal Relationship / Language Skills / Male / Medical sciences / Motivation / Neurosciences / Nonverbal Communication / Original Paper / Pediatrics / Pervasive Developmental Disorders / Psychiatry / Psychological aspects / Psychology / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Public Health / Resistance (Psychology) / Robotics / Robots / Social aspects / Social Behavior / Social behaviour / Social factors / Social interaction / Social skills / Speech / Teaching Methods / Therapy