Robot Animals and the Emotional Labor of Caregivers

摘要

Robot animals have become a topical issue as researchers and policymakers consider how to meet the challenges associated with the aging population and limited resources in care for older people. 1 In relation to groups that face difficulties building and maintaining social relationships, such as persons with dementia, some researchers argue that robot animals can facilitate communication and promote well-being. 2 Robot animals may, for instance, help dementia care patients to remember their life story and previously owned pets. 3However, such optimistic reports do not account for every one's experience of robot animals.The interaction with and effects of robot animals can vary based on personal experiences of pets, what kind of robot animal it is, and which features the robot is designed to have. 4It is, therefore, impor tant that the use of robot animals is tailored to dif fer ent individuals' needs.Some researchers point out that the functions and benefits of the robot animal rely on caregivers' productive use of it in interaction with patients. 5Caregivers' roles are still quite invisible in research on the use of robots in care settings. 6This chapter, therefore, contributes an understanding of the caregiver's role in the use of robot animals, focusing on how caregivers express and manage emotions when they use robot animals with persons with dementia.The concept of care work is a complex issue, involving attention to other people's physical as well as social and psychological needs.The physical aspect of caring is most easily documented since it rests on practical work tasks. 7But caring also signifies feelings of concern, interest, and vigilance with a view to protection. 8Being there for others in need of help can be an emotionally demanding task and may "require formal and systematic training to manage feelings, grounded in a theoretical base such as psy chol ogy, sociology and the acquisition of complex interpersonal skills." 9Such ideals, related to providing care, do not necessarily resonate with the increased requirements for technological competences. 10In fact, researchers have