Abstract
The ethics of human-robot interaction (HRI) have been discussed extensively based on three traditional frameworks: deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. We conducted a mixed within/between experiment to investigate Sparrow's proposed ethical asymmetry hypothesis in human treatment of robots. The moral permissibility of action (MPA) was manipulated as a subject grouping variable, and virtue type (prudence, justice, courage, and temperance) was controlled as a within-subjects factor. We tested moral stimuli using an online questionnaire with Perceived Moral Permissibility of Action (PMPA) and Perceived Virtue Scores (PVS) as response measures. The PVS measure was based on an adaptation of the established Questionnaire on Cardinal Virtues (QCV), while the PMPA was based on Malle et al. [39] work. We found that the MPA significantly influenced the PMPA and perceived virtue scores. The best-fitting model to describe the relationship between PMPA and PVS was cubic, which is symmetrical in nature. Our study did not confirm Sparrow's asymmetry hypothesis. The adaptation of the QCV is expected to have utility for future studies, pending additional psychometric property assessments.
Abstract (translated)
人类与机器人互动（HRI）的伦理问题已经基于三种传统框架进行了广泛的讨论：义务论、功利主义和美德伦理。我们进行了一项混合的组内/组间实验，以探讨Sparrow提出的关于人们对待机器人的伦理不对称假设。通过操纵道德行为的可接受性（MPA）作为分组变量，并控制美德类型（审慎、正义、勇气和节制）作为组内因素，我们使用在线问卷测试了道德刺激，其中采用了行动的道德许可度感知（PMPA）和感知美德得分（PVS）作为响应措施。PVS测量基于对公认的美德量表（QCV）进行了改编，而PMPA则是基于Malle等人[39]的工作进行的。 我们发现，MPA显著影响了PMPA和感知到的美德得分。描述PMPA与PVS之间关系的最佳拟合模型是三次方程，这种关系具有对称性特征。我们的研究没有证实Sparrow提出的不对称假设。预期QCV的改编版本将对未来的研究有应用价值，但需进行进一步的心理测量属性评估以确认其有效性。
URL
https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.02745
