Deception in HRI and its Implications: a Systematic Review

Background. People commonly use deception to gain advantages for themselves and their significant ones, such as with children, for educational purposes, or for protecting someone else feelings. As robots increasingly are being used in various human-centered environments, experts in robotics and social sciences are trying to adapt similar deceptive techniques to social robots, such as in assistive and service applications. However, robots' ability to engage in deceptive behaviors presents both potential benefits and significant ethical challenges. In this work, we present a systematic review to synthesize current research on the implementation of deceptive robotic behaviors during human-robot interactions (HRI), and its effects on people. Methods. Adopting a comprehensive and flexible methodological approach, we systematically searched Scopus and Web of Science without restricting the publication date. The review focused on studies that explicitly examined the effects of robotic deception on human participants, covering a broad spectrum of methodologies, populations, and outcomes. Results. A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria, showing that robotic deception in HRI leads to diverse emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses. The findings indicate that robotic deception can have diverse impacts, ranging from eroding trust to enhancing engagement and performance under certain conditions. Conclusions. Our systematic review highlights the importance of careful design and management in robotic systems to harness the benefits of deception while mitigating its negative impacts on trust. We advise that future research should explore conditions under which deception may be beneficial and develop strategies to effectively manage its use in HRI.