Evolution of Human–Robot Personality Similarity: A Historical Analysis from 1960 to 2019

The perceived similarity between human and robot personalities significantly impacts human–robot interaction (HRI), carrying ethical and psychological implications. This study examines the longitudinal evolution of personality similarity by analyzing Big Five personality trait descriptions in the Google Books corpus from 1960 to 2019. Our research revealed two primary findings: (a) Personality similarity demonstrated an overall increasing trend with a notable deceleration around 1980, potentially reflecting technological advancements and societal apprehensions; (b) A distinct hierarchy of trait similarities emerged. Openness exhibited the highest similarity to human personalities, followed by agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness. This nuanced hierarchy suggests that human expectations of robotic personalities are not uniform across traits. By tracing historical perceptions of human-robot personality similarities, this study provides a comprehensive foundation for future HRI research and ethical considerations in robotics and artificial intelligence.