Sylvia Hubner

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Paderborn University

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Sylvia Hubner is an emerging researcher at the forefront of human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the fascinating and increasingly relevant question of robot leadership. Her work explores how humans perceive and respond to social robots when those robots exhibit complex leadership behaviors — a topic that sits at the intersection of organizational psychology, artificial intelligence, and social robotics. Hubner's most notable contribution, "Robot Leadership – Investigating Human Perceptions and Reactions towards Social Robots Showing Leadership Behaviors" (2023), has already garnered 17 citations, a strong early indicator of the field's appetite for this line of inquiry. Building on this foundation, her 2024 follow-up examines the nuanced effects of transformational versus transactional leadership styles when enacted by robots, situating her research within the broader context of organizational digital transformation. What makes Hubner's scholarship particularly timely is its practical relevance: as organizations increasingly integrate robotics into workplace environments, understanding whether and how humans can accept robotic authority becomes critically important. Her research offers valuable insights for both technology designers and organizational leaders navigating an automated future, making her a researcher worth watching closely as the field continues to evolve.