Be snobbish: the role of task goal deviation in error tolerance for collaborative robots

Purpose Collaborative robots are key enabling technologies within the framework of Industry 5.0. Inevitable robot errors may lead to negative attitudes toward robots and cause deviations from task goals. However, collaborative robots with high ability and performance can gain informal status in the human–robot collaborative team. Since status is a significant factor influencing interactions, it is crucial to explore how variations in the status of erring robots influence team members’ attitudes. Design/methodology/approach This study employs affective events theory (AET) with the experimental vignette methodology (EVM), engaging a total of 388 participants (N student = 216, N non-student = 172) in the experiment. Findings First, erring robot status positively influences error tolerance (lower punishment tendency and higher future collaboration tendency). Second, negative attitudes toward robots mediate the relationship between erring robot status and error tolerance. Third, task goal deviation moderates the relationship between erring robot status and negative attitudes toward robots. Fourth, the protective effect of erring robot status differs by prior robot experience. Research limitations/implications This study enriches theoretical research on robot status and expands the application of AET to the industrial human–robot interaction (iHRI) domain. Additionally, it offers critical guidance to enhance the effectiveness and error tolerance of human–robot collaboration in practical contexts. Originality/value These findings offer a mechanistic explanation for employee attitudes and reactions following robot errors and propose practical measures to mitigate the negative impacts of robot errors on human–robot collaboration.