Machines and Mindlessness: Social Responses to Computers

Abstract

A foundational paper demonstrating that humans apply social rules and expectations to computers, even when they know the machines are not human. People are polite to computers, apply gender stereotypes to them, and treat them as teammates — all without conscious awareness.

Key Findings

• People apply social norms to computers automatically and unconsciously
• Gender stereotypes are projected onto computers with male or female voices
• These responses occur even among technically sophisticated users

Source