Rebellion and Disobedience in Human-Robot Interaction (RaD-HRI)

Gordon Briggs, Theresa Law, Reuth Mirsky, Kantwon Rogers, Andres Rosero

Abstract: The rise of robots in collaborative settings raises questions about their behavior in complex, socially-driven contexts. A key concern is the need for these robots to sometimes act against their programming, seemingly exhibiting "rebellious" or "disobedient" behavior. While such actions might seem counterproductive, there are scenarios where they might be beneficial for effective human-robot interaction. This workshop explores these nuances, examining situations where robots may need to exhibit disobedience to function optimally in society. Through an interdisciplinary lens, we investigate when and why robots might need to act in this manner and how it impacts human perceptions of them.