(Un)Intended Consequences of Social Robot Adoption in Aged Care : A Hybrid Literature Review

There is a noticeable gap in reviews about the overarching intellectual structure of literature on social robots in aged care. Most reviews focused on the intended benefits of social robots in specific contexts, such as companion robots for dementia or assistive robots for elderly individuals with unique challenges, while neglecting the unintended consequences of their adoption. Despite the potential advantages of social robots, such as improved care and efficiency, they can also introduce emotional, psychological, and societal challenges. This duality calls for an ambivalent perspective on robot integration in care services. To review these complexities, we undertook a hybrid systematic and text mining literature review focused on the concept of ambivalence. Analysing 124 empirical studies on social robots, our review highlights six topics that may receive significant attention in future studies: privacy concerns, social engagement, medical monitoring, adaptability and learning, affordability, and companionship. By emphasising the significance of recognising ambivalence in social robot adoption, we highlighted the necessity of addressing both the benefits and challenges in future social robot research.