Mauro Sarrica
Papers
10
Total Citations
321
H-Index
7
About
Mauro Sarrica is a prominent scholar whose research sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction, social psychology, and communication studies. His work is particularly distinguished by its application of social representations theory to understand how both expert and lay audiences conceptualize, define, and emotionally respond to social robots in everyday life. Sarrica's most influential contribution — a 2019 review examining scientific and popular definitions of social robots (114 citations) — revealed the multifaceted, contested nature of the term and highlighted how expert and public knowledge mutually shape one another. This theme of bridging technical and cultural understandings runs throughout his scholarship, from investigations into public attitudes toward robots (56 citations) to how children imagine robotic futures (23 citations). Particularly innovative is his exploration of empathy across species and object boundaries, examining whether and how humans extend emotional concern to robots alongside humans, animals, and objects. His work on robots in public spaces and their evolving role from industrial to social settings further demonstrates the breadth of his perspective. Altogether, Sarrica's research offers essential insights for designers, policymakers, and communication scholars navigating an increasingly robot-integrated society.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3Robot Shift from Industrial Production to Social Reproduction56 citations · 2015
- 4Children’s Knowledge and Imaginary About Robots23 citations · 2015
- 5Multiple Communication Roles in Human–Robot Interactions in Public Space23 citations · 2018
- 6
- 7Social robots as cultural objects: The sixth dimension of dynamicity?16 citations · 2018
- 8
- 9The Role of Social Robots in Public Space3 citations · 2019
- 10Representing Robots in Popular Culture1 citations · 2024