Embodied Digital Technologies: First Insights in the Social and Legal Perception of Robots and Users of Prostheses
This empirical research study investigates the social and legal perceptions of embodied digital technologies, focusing on robots and users of prostheses. The authors conducted two studies evaluating how participants rate stimuli varying in prosthesis technicity and robot anthropomorphism across dimensions including competence, sociability, morality, legal personality, and decision-making authority. The findings reveal that technical sophistication influences competence and morality attributions for prostheses, while robot anthropomorphism affects perceptions of sociability, competence, legal personality, and decision-making authority.
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Who issued it
Who it governs
Researchers, psychologists, and legal scholars interested in human-robot interaction, social stereotypes, and the legal implications of embodied digital technologies.
What the document contains
The study covers empirical investigations into how the public socially perceives individuals with low- and high-tech prostheses as well as robots of varying anthropomorphic levels, examining dimensions such as competence, sociability, and morality. It also addresses public perceptions regarding robots' legal personality and decision-making authority.
The document does not provide binding legal regulations, specific policy frameworks, or enforced governance guidelines for deploying robots or prostheses.
- Users of low-tech prostheses are perceived as less competent than users of high-tech prostheses and able-bodied individuals.
- Industrial robots are perceived as more competent but less sociable than more anthropomorphized robots.
- Participants were generally reluctant to attribute human-like moral and social characteristics to robots.
- Higher robot anthropomorphism is associated with increased ascriptions of legal personality and decision-making authority.
- Personality traits such as internal moral identity and affinity for technology interaction correlate with social and legal attributions.
· INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PERCEPTION OF EMBODIED DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES · DIMENSIONS OF SOCIAL PERCEPTION · STUDY 1: SOCIAL PERCEPTION OF EMBODIED DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES · INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL PERCEPTION OF EMBODIED DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES · STUDY 2: SOCIAL AND LEGAL PERCEPTION OF EMBODIED DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES · GENERAL DISCUSSION
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
2/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
The connections that need to be established to identify a responsible party in case of error are often unclear and current existing concepts are no longer sufficient
INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL PERCEPTION OF EMBODIED DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
0/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
N/A
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
1/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
Furthermore, the capacity to act in the legal sense is mandatory. This necessarily requires corporeality, but it is unclear at what level of autonomy suf ficient Legal Personality is achieved
Dimensions of Legal Perception: Legal Personality
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Oversight
0/5Humans remain in control of consequential decisions
N/A
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
0/5Protection of personal data and private life
N/A
screening score · 2026-10-23
Transparency
0/5Openness about how AI systems work and are used
N/A
screening score · 2026-10-23
Enforcement
0/5Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force
N/A
screening score · 2026-10-23
Impact Assessment
0/5Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use
N/A
screening score · 2026-10-23