Social Program Brown Bag: Adam Waytz (Northwestern University)

Adam Waytz, Northwestern University

Title:
Humans and Machines

Abstract:
Everyday life is increasingly humanless, with robotic technology replacing human jobs and performing tasks previously reserved for humans. This talk will explore the psychological implications of an automated world and will address such questions as: whether online technology helps or hurts empathy, how anthropomorphism influences people’s trust and blame toward a self-driving car, how to mitigate discomfort over robots replacing human jobs, and why awareness of automation’s effect on employment increases negative sentiment toward immigrants. Together, this research suggests the importance of considering the psychological consequences of automation alongside its economic and technological consequences.