Stereotyping of Social Robots in Eldercare: An Explorative Analysis of Ethical Problems and Possible Solutions

摘要

Due to demographic aging, the relevance of social robots in eldercare is increasing. Studies indicate that gender stereotypes can play an important role in human-robot interaction and could be used strategically to optimize care processes and outcomes. However, as gender roles among older people become more diverse and societal recognition of different needs and preferences grows, such stereotypical notions appear increasingly problematic. Against this backdrop, our contribution provides an explorative ethical analysis of gender stereotyping in social robotics for eldercare. Starting from a principlist approach, we map potential problems and conflicts and discuss possible solutions for culturally sustainable social robots for eldercare in late-modern pluralistic societies.