Paper Type

Complete

Abstract

Interactive robots foster closer human-robot connections, but emotional and sexual intimacy are often conflated with other traits. This paper bridges theory and practice by providing a framework for understanding intimacy with physical robots, drawing on models of interpersonal intimacy. Through a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis, we clarify definitions of intimacy and examine the nuances of human-robot interactions. Key contributions include: (1) examining definitions of emotional and sexual intimacy, (2) integrating two thematic domains, and (3) highlighting key findings and research gaps. Results indicate a tendency to view intimacy as primarily emotional or physical closeness, emphasize its benefits, and highlight the need to redefine human-robot boundaries.

Paper Number

2123

Author Connect URL

https://authorconnect.aisnet.org/conferences/AMCIS2025/papers/2123

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Aug 15th, 12:00 AM

Sexual and Emotional Intimacy with Robots: A Brief Review

Interactive robots foster closer human-robot connections, but emotional and sexual intimacy are often conflated with other traits. This paper bridges theory and practice by providing a framework for understanding intimacy with physical robots, drawing on models of interpersonal intimacy. Through a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis, we clarify definitions of intimacy and examine the nuances of human-robot interactions. Key contributions include: (1) examining definitions of emotional and sexual intimacy, (2) integrating two thematic domains, and (3) highlighting key findings and research gaps. Results indicate a tendency to view intimacy as primarily emotional or physical closeness, emphasize its benefits, and highlight the need to redefine human-robot boundaries.

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