Body, Mind, or Heart? Investigating the Sufficient and Necessary Factors for Robot Acceptance Among Middle‐Aged and Older Chinese Adults

Abstract

As robots are increasingly perceived not only as functional tools but also as socially interactive agents endowed with perceived minds, inconsistent findings on the role of human‐like mind in robot acceptance underscore the need to clarify the underlying psychological mechanisms. Drawing on the three‐dimensional mind perception framework and the theory of reasoned action, this study investigated how perceptions of a robot′s body, cognitive, and socioemotional capacities—termed body, mind, and heart—influence robot acceptance among middle‐aged and older adults in China. Using a two‐stage analytical approach that combines set‐explorative structural equation modeling (set‐ESEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA), this study investigated both sufficiency and necessity of mind perception and attitudes in shaping trust and behavioral intentions. Data were collected from a cross‐sectional questionnaire survey of 407 Chinese adults aged 50 and above (M = 56.16, S D = 4.56). The set‐ESEM results indicated that body dimension heightened negative attitudes toward robot interaction ( β = 0.316, p = 0.024), whereas the mind ( β = –0.452 , p < 0.001) and heart ( β = −0.567, p < 0.001) dimensions mitigate negative attitudes toward interaction and emotional discomfort, respectively. NCA revealed that none of these mind dimensions individually served as necessary conditions for behavioral intentions. By contrast, trust in robots emerged as both a necessary ( β = 0.320, p = 0.001) and sufficient condition ( d = 0.18; p < 0.001). A minimal level of trust (21.4%) is required to reach a moderate intention to use (60%). The study advances theoretical understanding of mind perception in robot acceptance and provides practical guidance for designing robots that balance bodily sensation, cognitive, and socioemotional capacities. By prioritizing trust while integrating targeted mind perception dimensions, developers and policymakers can create inclusive and acceptable robots for older populations.