Acceso usuarios
Gisella Rossini
, Federico Manzi, Cinzia Di Dio, Antonio Iannaccone, Antonella Marchetti, Davide Massaro
In the field of educational robotics, it is important to understand the processes trough which child-robot interactions are established during play activities. In terms of socio-material characteristics, robots can vary widely, from more mechanical robots to more anthropomorphic ones. Research has shown that the degree of anthropomorphization of the robot has an impact on how children perceive and interact with the robot. The role of the socio-material characteristics is still poorly explore in the 18–36-month age group. The aim of the study was to investigate how the presence of two robots, which differed in their socio-material characteristic of anthropomorphization, shapes both the individual and group play activities of 25 children aged 18–36 months. The children were observed during free group play sessions in which they had access to two types of robots: Idol, with more human-like features, and Pixy, a more mechanical robot with minimal anthropomorphism. Observations made through video recordings were transcribed. Qualitative analysis was conducted, and six units of analysis of children’s interaction with robots were identified. The main finding from our study is that children as early as 18 months are sensitive to the socio-material characteristics of the robotic artefact, influencing the way they interact with the robot and with each other. Notably, children displayed more imitation behaviors and social interactions with Idol, the more anthropomorphic robot, while Pixy, the mechanical robot, was primarily explored for its mechanical features. From an educational point of view, we highlight the importance of the construction of the learning environment and the choice of materials to propose to the children in play; the robot could be used to reinforce symbolic play, imitation, and to support group interaction.
