Implicit theories of the human mind predict competitive and cooperative responses to AI robots

Robots designed with artificial intelligence (AI) can be regarded as either humans' competitors or cooperators. Previous research has mainly focused on how robot-related factors, especially robots' mental capacities or mind, influence human−robot interactions. However, inspired by the perspective that robots can inform us about the nature of human mind, we argue that people's implicit theories of the human mind, namely, beliefs about the malleability of the human mind, predict their competitive and cooperative responses to AI robots. Accordingly, among British (Study 1) and Chinese participants (Study 2), we measured implicit theories of the human mind and examined their roles in predicting perceived competitiveness and cooperativeness in and intentions to compete and cooperate with AI robots. We also explored the mediating roles of performance and mastery goals. The results revealed that a malleable theory of the human mind was negatively associated with performance-avoidance goals, which in turn, positively predicted competitive responses to robots. A malleable theory of the human mind was also positively associated with mastery goals, which in turn, positively predicted cooperative responses to robots. Further, Chinese participants reported less competitive and more cooperative responses to AI robots than British participants. The present research extends our understanding of human−robot interactions and has implications for facilitating the adoption of innovative technology.