Monika Knopf
Papers
9
Total Citations
234
H-Index
5
About
Monika Knopf is a prominent researcher specializing in the intersection of aging, social robotics, and psychosocial well-being, with a particular focus on how older adults perceive and accept emotionally responsive robotic companions. Her work addresses one of the most pressing challenges of our time: supporting elderly populations amid global aging trends and healthcare workforce shortages. Knopf's most influential contribution, "Acceptance of Social Robots by Elder People" (2017, 94 citations), investigates how psychological and social functioning shapes elderly individuals' openness to robotic care companions. Complementing this, her German-language work "Emotionale Roboter im Pflegekontext" (61 citations) has become a key reference in European care robotics discourse. Her research into robots like Paro and Pleo provides rigorous empirical grounding for deployment decisions in clinical and home-care settings. A distinctive thread running through her scholarship is attention to self-image and identity — exploring why elders sometimes reject robots by declaring "This isn't me!" — revealing how age-related stigma influences technology adoption. With nearly 200 cumulative citations, Knopf's body of work offers essential psychological and ethical insights for researchers, designers, and policymakers seeking to develop human-centered robotic solutions for aging populations.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Emotionale Roboter im Pflegekontext61 citations · 2017
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- 5What Is Emotional About Emotional Robotics?13 citations · 2016
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- 8Social and Emotional Robots for Aging Well?2 citations · 2013
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