Researchers at Concordia University in Canada explored how sexual arousal might influence people’s openness to intimate relationships with nonhuman partners, specifically robotic companions. The study, reported in a peer review outlet focused on gender and sexuality studies, examined the intersection of desire, technology, and social norms around dating and romance. The researchers aimed to understand not only whether interest in forming close bonds with robots exists, but also how internal states such as arousal could shift attitudes toward these nontraditional relationships.
To gather data, the research team assembled a sample of 321 adults who agreed to participate in a two-part online survey. The first portion collected demographic information, which can shape attitudes toward technology-mediated relationships. The second portion invited participants to reflect on their interest in forming intimate connections with both humans and robots, allowing the researchers to compare how preferences differ across contexts and targets of affection.
In a follow-up step, roughly one week after the initial survey, participants viewed a ten-minute explicit film designed to provoke sexual arousal. After exposure, they provided self-assessments of their level of arousal and indicated their appetite for sexual interactions with humans and with robots. The design of the study sought to isolate how heightened arousal might tilt judgments about the acceptability and feasibility of pursuing sexual relations with a mechanical partner, as opposed to a human partner.
The results suggested that arousal state played a measurable role in the willingness to engage in sexual activity with robots. Specifically, participants reported a higher probability of desiring sex with a robotic partner when arousal was elevated. The data also indicated gender differences: men tended to express a greater inclination toward sexual involvement with robots both before and after the arousal-inducing material, compared with women. These patterns persisted across the two assessment points, underscoring a potential link between arousal, gender, and openness to technologically mediated intimacy. Researchers view these findings as contributing to broader discussions about how technology intersects with intimate life, personal identity, and relationship norms in contemporary society.