Exploring Emotional Connections: A Systematic Literature Review of Attachment in Human-Robot Interaction

Abstract

Over the past several decades, robots have gradually infiltrated our daily lives, evolving from tools to social companions. With more robots and artificial intelligence agents becoming capable of engaging in social and emotional interactions, investigating the dynamics behind these relationships is becoming increasingly relevant. Despite increasing interests, little research has conducted systematic research to unpack their underlying mechanisms. Utilizing the PRISMA framework, this review systematically examined attachment within Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) from 30 studies, by synthesizing research on human-robot emotional bonds from the last 15 years. This review highlights the need of integrating traditional psychological attachment theories to deepen our comprehension of these relationships. It also identifies gaps in current methodologies and suggests directions for future research, emphasizing the importance of grounding these studies in established psychological frameworks to better understand and facilitate these evolving human-robot relationships.