Halim Boukaram

American University of Science and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

100

H-Index

About

Halim Boukaram investigates the critical intersection of culture, social robotics, and human-agent interaction. His research demonstrates how cultural backgrounds shape users' perceptions of robot credibility, trustworthiness, and social status. In his most influential work, "Effects of Culture on the Credibility of Robot Speech" (2015, 92 citations), Boukaram established that a robot's communication style and speech patterns are perceived differently across cultural contexts—a foundational insight for designing socially intelligent robots that operate effectively in diverse global markets. He further explored how professional status and ethnicity, conveyed through an agent's appearance, language, and education level, influence user perceptions in human-agent interactions (2016, 8 citations). By systematically manipulating these social cues, Boukaram reveals the subtle ways users attribute status and credibility to artificial agents based on culturally embedded stereotypes. His work is essential reading for researchers developing culturally adaptive social robots and virtual assistants, offering empirical evidence that effective human-robot interaction requires more than technical competence—it demands cultural intelligence. Boukaram's contributions are particularly valuable as robots increasingly serve as companions, educators, and service providers across multicultural societies.