Robots Among Us: How Robot Competence and Uncertainty Shape Coworker Interactions

Abstract: Research suggests that the introduction of new technology at work has important effects for occupational groups and individuals alike. The current paper examines how new technology reshapes how employees perceive their coworker interactions. Specifically, we investigate why and how the introduction of robots can promote supportive coworker interactions. When robots pose a collective identity threat to employees, this threat can prompt a unifying response in which employees band together to face a common enemy. Consequently, employees become more aware of their shared identity, experiencing greater empathy and perceived similarities with one another. We posit that higher uncertainty about the impact of robots on their jobs enhances perceptions of threat and motivates employees to build stronger interpersonal ties. Across a behavioral lab study and an online experiment, we find that an affiliative response to threat fosters greater organizational citizenship behaviors toward coworkers, making individuals more tolerant and supportive of each other.

Keywords: Technology, Interpersonal/Relational Processes, Identity/Identification