Dorina de Jong
Papers
1
Total Citations
19
H-Index
1
About
Dorina de Jong is a leading voice in human-robot interaction, with a focus on the psychological and social dynamics that shape how we relate to autonomous machines. Her work bridges social psychology and robotics, exploring how intergroup biases—typically reserved for human interactions—extend to human-robot teams. In her most-cited paper, "Empathy and Schadenfreude in Human–Robot Teams" (2021, 19 citations), de Jong demonstrates that people feel greater empathy toward robots perceived as ingroup members and can even experience schadenfreude—pleasure at another’s misfortune—when an outgroup robot suffers a setback. This finding challenges assumptions about human uniqueness in moral emotions and has profound implications for designing collaborative robots that foster trust and cohesion. Though early in her career, de Jong’s work is already shaping debates on robot rights, team dynamics, and ethical AI. Her research is essential reading for anyone interested in how our tribal instincts influence our relationships with the nonhuman agents we increasingly share our world with.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Empathy and Schadenfreude in Human–Robot Teams19 citations · 2021