Careless or care-led innovation? Socio-ethnography of social robots and social ties in eldercare settings in France and Japan: Tensions and contradictions in needs, temporalities and representations

This thesis aims to examine, from a sociological perspective, the social relationships shaped and affected by the use of social robots in eldercare settings, and those envisaged by their design. This doctoral research is motivated by the following paradox regarding the use of social robots in elderly care settings: research on the use of social robots in geriatrics has highlighted the advantages of these robots, such as improving the well-being of older adults with cognitive impairments and reducing their feelings of isolation. However, their deployment on a larger scale seems to encounter challenges that are difficult to overcome.
This work focuses on the issue of care. Indeed, social robots designed to meet socio- psychological needs in eldercare settings could have a significant impact on the very dynamics of care, raising questions about how human interactions could evolve. Social robots are not just technological advances; they are crucial research objects involving interpersonal relationships and ethics in care settings, which require in-depth reflection.
More specifically, the objective of this thesis is to clarify this paradox by examining the formation and transformation of care relationships through the introduction of social robots in eldercare settings in France and Japan. The aim is to study the interactions between care workers, care recipients and the technological objects designed to assist them. Japan, recognised as a pioneer in ageing care and the use of technological objects, is an appropriate field of study. France, with its similar ageing trends and contributions to robotics, offers a second relevant field for this research.
A review of the literature on innovation, robotics and robots for care settings reveals that STS approaches are frequently used to understand the relationship and interaction between humans and technology. Despite their contributions, these approaches also have limitations, which can potentially be overcome by adopting a care perspective that emphasises care within relationships (Chapter 1). Two main data collection methods were used: participant observations in eldercare settings where social robots have been introduced, and interviews with social actors in the field of eldercare and robot design (Chapter 2).
The results (Chapters 3 to 5) reveal tensions in the use of these technological objects in eldercare. Chapter 3 examines how therapists use technology to help reluctant residents engage in rehabilitation, highlighting the care dynamics between therapists and residents. Chapter 4 addresses the issue of temporality relative to different care actors, illustrating how the mismatch between the communication speeds of robots and care recipients can undermine beneficial effects. Chapter 5 highlights the vulnerability of older people represented and embodied in social robots, which can reinforce stereotypes in the design of care technologies. These findings may contribute to a better explanation of the paradoxical situation between the positive effects of social robots on care for older people and the reality of the difficulties associated with their widespread adoption.

Keywords: social relations, care, social robots, LTCF, script, ethnography