robotic-caretaking
The idea that robots could take on caregiving roles, such as babysitting, offering reliable and attentive care that some children find lacking in human caregivers.
2 chapters across 2 books
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (2011)Sherry Turkle
This chapter explores children's interactions with sociable robots like AIBO and My Real Baby, focusing on how these robots evoke fantasies of robotic caretakers who might one day replace or supplement human babysitters. Children pragmatically evaluate robots' potential as reliable, attentive caretakers, often contrasting robotic care with the limitations of human caregivers in their lives. The chapter highlights a cultural shift from fear of robots to imagining them as benevolent companions capable of providing emotional and practical support.
The Second Self (1984)Sherry Turkle
This chapter explores children's interactions with sociable robots like AIBO and My Real Baby, focusing on how these robots evoke fantasies of robotic caretaking and companionship. It highlights children's pragmatic attitudes toward robots as potential babysitters, emphasizing their hopes for reliability, attentiveness, and emotional support in contrast to often disappointing human caretakers. The chapter also discusses the cultural shift from viewing robots as frightening to seeing them as benevolent helpers and companions.