MacCallister Higgins
Papers
2
Total Citations
32
H-Index
2
About
MacCallister Higgins investigates the psychological and emotional dynamics of human-robot and human-computer interaction, with a focus on how people perceive and respond to the mistreatment of artificial agents. Their work explores the perceived animacy, empathy, and emotional capability of robots and computers, revealing that humans often react to the mistreatment of these agents in ways that mirror responses to human co-workers. Higgins’s most-cited paper, “Perceived Mistreatment and Emotional Capability Following Aggressive Treatment of Robots and Computers” (2019, 29 citations), demonstrates that aggressive behavior toward social agents can evoke emotional reactions, highlighting the nuanced social roles these technologies occupy. An earlier study, “This robot stinks! Differences between perceived mistreatment of robot and computer partners” (2017, 3 citations), further distinguishes how people attribute different levels of social presence to robots versus computers. Though early in their career, Higgins’s work contributes to the growing field of human-agent interaction, with implications for designing ethical and socially aware AI. Their research invites deeper consideration of how emerging technologies shape—and are shaped by—human empathy and social norms.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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