Acceptance of sex dolls and robots as a function of their appearance, intended use, and age

The use of social robots for various functions has risen in both popularity and attention in recent years. Principally this has focused on sex dolls and robots. In this research we investigated how the appearance, function, and perceived age of sex dolls and robots impact social attitudes toward them. Two well-powered experimental studies tested the hypotheses that more life-like, sexualized, and child-resembling dolls and robots provoke stronger negative reactions and less interest in ownership. Consistent with the uncanny valley effect, the findings indicate that increasingly realistic dolls and robots are met with more negative responses, with this effect being exacerbated when owners use their dolls and robots for sexual reasons (Study 1; N = 275). When looking at the ostensible age of a doll, child-like sex dolls elicit significantly harsher judgments, with this likely being due to societal concerns about potential risks for real child abuse (Study 2; N = 222). This research underscores the complex interplay between technology, social perceptions, and the evolving landscape of human-robot interactions, particularly in the sexual domain. Further research is suggested to disentangle the explanations of our experimental results.