Audrey Reinert
Papers
1
Total Citations
19
H-Index
1
About
Audrey Reinert explores the intersection of human-robot interaction and social cognition, with a focus on how people interpret and respond to artificial agents’ emotional expressions. Her most-cited work, “Behind the Robot’s Smiles and Frowns” (2018, 19 citations), challenges the assumption that humans automatically mirror robots’ facial expressions. Instead, she demonstrates that context critically shapes reactions: a robot’s smile from an opponent signals negative information, leading to non-mirroring responses. This finding reframes emotional expression as an informational cue rather than a simple trigger for mimicry. Reinert’s research bridges social psychology and robotics, revealing that human responses to androids are nuanced and context-dependent. Her work has implications for designing more effective and socially aware robots, as well as for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of non-verbal communication. By showing that people react to the informational value of a robot’s face rather than its surface appearance, Reinert contributes a vital perspective to the growing field of human-robot interaction, where emotional authenticity and social context are increasingly recognized as critical.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1