Robot Gender Design Can Influence Customer Choices in Hospitality Says Penn State Study

• Male-presenting robots were more persuasive to low-power female customers, especially in service scenarios.
• “Cute” robot designs helped neutralize gender effects, offering businesses a way to avoid bias.

A new study from the Penn State School of Hospitality Management reveals that the gender characteristics of service robots can significantly influence customer decision-making — particularly among people who feel they have low power in a given situation.

In two separate experiments, researchers found that female customers with a low sense of power were more likely to accept recommendations from robots designed with male-coded features. This effect was less pronounced among men. However, when robots featured “cute” attributes — such as big eyes and rounded cheeks — both male and female participants responded similarly, regardless of the robot’s implied gender.

The findings suggest businesses like restaurants and hotels could strategically deploy male-presenting robots for upselling or recommendations, especially when targeting customers more likely to be influenced. Conversely, companies looking to reduce the impact of gender bias in automation can opt for designs with neutral or cute aesthetics to level the playing field.

The study, led by doctoral candidate Lavi Peng, Professor Anna Mattila, and Professor Amit Sharma, was published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management and supported by the Marriott Foundation.

🌀 Remix Reality Take:
Design isn’t neutral. Whether it’s voice, color, or a pair of digital eyes, the psychology of robot presentation can shape behavior — or disrupt bias. Hospitality robots just became persuasion tools.

Source: Penn State News