Impacts of Robot Beep Timings on Trust Dynamics in Human-Robot Interaction

In this study, we investigated the influence of robot beeps on trust dynamics in human-robot interaction. We designed an experimental setup in which participants engaged in a calculation task alongside a robot that alternated between successful and unsuccessful performances. Throughout the task, flat beeps were strategically expressed at different timings. In our first experiment, we focused on investigating whether the timings of these beeps affect trust dynamics in HRI. Our second experiment focused on comparing the effects of beeps to those of verbal expressions. Our results showed that (1) trust dynamics were significantly affected by the timing of beeps in Experiment 1, and (2) beeps had as strong an effect on trust as verbal expressions indicating promise and achievement for successful performance in Experiment 2. However, verbal apologies outperformed beeps after errors in repairing trust. Additionally, verbal expressions indicating a lack of confidence and beeps at the same timing did not influence trust. There is a possibility that the flat beep sounds might have participants perceive a robot’s positive emotions and help increase trust for successful performance.