Study on the Subjectivity of Medical Professionals Towards Pet Robots

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study is to understand the subjectivity of medical professionals in their perception of pet robots, describe the characteristics of each subjectivity type and understand the categorization of pet robots.

Methods/Statistical Analysis: The Q methodology was applied. Twenty medical professionals (doctors or nurses) currently employed in a clinical setting were asked to categorize 56 statements on pet robots. The collected data were analyzed using QUANL PC Program.

Findings: In this study, there were six people with a factor weight of 1.0 or higher in Type 1, six such people in Type 2 and eight people in Type 3. An analysis of subjectivity towards robot pets using the PC QUANL program revealed three factors, with an explanatory power of 77.61%. The explanatory power was 65.65% for factor 1, 6.42% for factor 2, and 5.53% for factor 3. As such, factor 1 can be seen as explaining robot pets the most. The study results show that the perception towards pet robots were categorized along three factors. The subjectivity types were ‘those who support the emotional advantages’, ‘those who emphasize the ease of pet management’ and ‘those who emphasize the convenience from technological development’.

Improvements/Applications: This study provided data for the use of pet robots in clinical settings and education of medical professionals.