关键词: 亲社会倾向, 感知机器人威胁, 集体焦虑, 外群体, 道德比较

Abstract:

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) presents an inevitable challenge to human society, raising concerns that range from the displacement of human jobs by robots to the increasingly ambiguous boundaries between humans and machines. This phenomenon is conceptualized as the realistic and symbolic threat posed by robots, which engenders collective angst among human beings. This collective angst reflects a concern for the future of the group, manifesting in negative emotions among group members apprehensive about their future. When a group perceives itself to be in crisis, societal cohesion may weaken, leading to increased divisions and aggression, and consequently, a decline in pro-social tendencies. Importantly, this decline is typically observed only toward out-group members, whereas the perceived robotic threat does not diminish pro-social behavior toward in-group members. Additionally, moral comparisons serve as a moderating factor in this dynamic. Downward moral comparisons, which enhance self-improvement and create a moral license that justifies both moral and immoral behaviors (e.g., a reduction in pro-social behaviors), suggest that the effect of robotic threat on pro-social tendencies is more pronounced among individuals who engage in such comparisons.

This research consists of eight studies based on the basic hypothesis that perceived robotic threat reduces people's pro-social tendencies, with collective angst acting as a mediating mechanism, and inside-outside group and moral comparison tendencies moderating its effects. Studies 1a and 1b used pre-existing archival databases to calculate the relationship between perceived robot threat at the individual level and pro-social behavior at the national level. Study 2, on the other hand, used a questionnaire to examine collective angst as a mediating variable between robot threat and reduced pro-social tendencies. Study 3 experimentally manipulated robot threat to similarly validate the mediating role of collective angst. Study 4 excluded the influence of other potential mediators. Studies 5 and 6 also used experimental methods to respectively explore the moderating role of internal and external groups and moral comparison tendencies, and to clarify the boundary conditions between perceived robot threat reducing pro-social tendencies. Study 7 further validated the influence of perceived robot threat on prosocial behavior through behavioral observation.

The main findings of this research are as follows. First, perceived robotic threat indeed reduces people's pro-social tendencies, even at the group level (Studies 1~7); Second, the mechanism is mediated by collective angst, that is, perceived robotic threat increases collective anxiety, which reduces pro-social tendencies in order to alleviate anxiety (Studies 2~4); Third, This effect is moderated by in-group and out-group distinction, whereas perceived robotic threat primarily reduces pro-social tendencies for out-group members (Study 5); Fourth, this effect is moderated by the tendency to make moral comparisons, that is, perceived robot threat mainly reduces pro-social tendencies for downward moral comparators (Study 6).

As findings on the social consequences of robotic threats in prior research have been inconsistent, the results of this research strongly support the conclusion that robotic threats result in negative rather than positive interpersonal outcomes. The reason for this may be the difference between the internal and external groups that people psychologically delineate when they are faced with specific people to engage in interpersonal behavior after experiencing a robotic threat. Our research theoretically explains why robotic threats produce negative interpersonal outcomes.

Key words: pro-social tendencies, perceived robot threat, collective angst, out-groups members, moral comparisons