HELLO!
I’m Dr. Te-Yi Hsieh

How Does a Psychologist Become Intrigued by AI/Robots?

In an era dominated by the rapid ascent of AI and automation, the most pressing questions are often not about the hardware itself, but about the humans interacting with it. As we integrate AI into our social fabric, a crucial question arises: What can psychology offer the AI generation?

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To me, the answer is clear. Psychology provides the essential lens to understand trust, empathy, and social dynamics in a digital age. It ensures that as we build more "intelligent" machines, we do not lose sight of the human experience. My work is dedicated to exploring this frontier—ensuring that the future of technology is grounded in a deep understanding of the human mind.

My Journey into Social Robotics
With a foundational background in psychology, I began my exploration of the digital frontier during my MSc at Bangor University. It was here, within the SoBots Lab under the supervision of Prof. Emily S. Cross, that I first encountered the field of Social Robotics. I was immediately captivated by the potential of robots to serve as social agents and became driven to investigate this intersection through a psychological lens.

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This fascination led me to the University of Glasgow in Scotland, where I pursued my PhD, once again under the mentorship of Prof. Emily S. Cross. My doctoral research focused on the nuances of human-robot interaction, specifically examining how we treat these artificial entities in social and professional contexts.

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Decoding Cooperation through Game Theory
In July 2022, I completed my PhD with a thesis titled "A psychology and game theory approach to human–robot cooperation." By utilizing economic games, I investigated the underlying mechanisms of how humans decide to cooperate with, trust, or compete against social robots.

My research goes beyond mere technical utility; it asks how these interactions redefine our social boundaries. By blending psychological theory with game theory, I aim to decode the "social contract" being written between humans and machines.

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​Current & Future Research

To understand how we truly perceive and connect with artificial agents, my current research investigates the psychological nuances of human-robot interaction through both subjective and objective lenses. I employ advanced physiological tools, such as eye-tracking to map attentional patterns and heart rate monitoring to gauge emotional arousal, allowing me to capture real-time responses that self-reports might miss. By integrating these metrics with psychological theories and methodologies, my work aims to decode the underlying mechanisms of trust and cooperation, ultimately shaping AI systems that are more intuitively aligned with human cognition and social needs.

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