title: Social robots as embedded reinforcers of social behavior in children with autism.
abstract: In this study we examined the social behaviors of 4- to 12-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; N = 24) during three tradic interactions with an adult confederate and an interaction partner, where the interaction partner varied randomly among (1) another adult human, (2) a touchscreen computer game, and (3) a social dinosaur robot. Children spoke more in general, and directed more speech to the adult confederate, when the interaction partner was a robot, as compared to a human or computer game interaction partner. Children spoke as much to the robot as to the adult interaction partner. This study provides the largest demonstration of social human-robot interaction in children with autism to date. Our findings suggest that social robots may be developed into useful tools for social skills and communication therapies, specifically by embedding social interaction into intrinsic reinforcers and motivators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. elizabeth.kim@yale.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Lauren D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Berkovits
authors.forename: Emily P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leyzberg
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shic
authors.forename: Rhea
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scassellati
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012371:Robotics; D012919:Social Behavior