Preschoolers prioritize humans over robots less than adults do: An eye-tracking study

Abstract

This study investigates how people make moral judgments about humans and robots, aiming to understand the reasons behind these moral choices. Using eye tracking technology, we examined 36 preschoolers and 36 adults as they faced road-accident dilemmas involving humans and robots. Our findings reveal notable differences between preschoolers and adults. Preschoolers were more likely to make utilitarian decisions, considering sacrificing humans to save robots morally acceptable compared to adults. Eye tracking data showed that preschoolers focused longer on human-robot and robot-human interactions than adults did. Our results highlight the role of empathy in shaping moral judgments. When controlling for empathy, early eye tracking indicators did not significantly predict moral judgments. Overall, our findings indicate that preschoolers prioritize humans over robots less than adults do. Additionally, individuals' moral preferences are reflected in their attentional processes, particularly during the early stages of moral judgment formation, and empathy plays a crucial role in how people morally judge humans and robots.