Social Roles in Human-Machine Communication: Conceptualization of the Subject Area

Introduction. The article presents the rationale for identifying a special subject area in humanmachine communication research – studying it as a social role interaction. Key provisions for describing the relational mechanism for the emergence of social roles in the performance of human-machine communication agents are formulated. Data on expert examinations of the use of artificial intelligence technologies in human-machine communication are used. Methodology and sources. The study is based on the relational paradigm of explaining the nature of the phenomenon of social roles in human-machine communication, arising and constructed exclusively in the space of their interactions. For conceptualization, the concepts of social role, role simulation, role imitation, imitation, assimilation, relation, situational action are proposed. Expert reports on the study of human communications with artificial intelligence devices were used as sources. Results and discussion. It has been established that human social roles and machine functions are formed in the process of mutual simulation, imitation, emulation and assimilation taking into account the situation. A person as a communicator is included in the performance of two roles, but performs one of them, which arises in communication. Two roles are combined into one – a social role, which can be performed only by both participants together and in a special hybrid format of communication. The nature of the sociality of these roles is in the communication situation. Conclusion. The relational mechanism of the emergence of social roles in the performance of a person and a machine is manifested in a change in human behavior and a modification of machine functions. When performing social roles, technomorphization of human behavior and anthropo(socio)morphization of machine functioning occur. A person rethinks the role of a communicator, changing its meaning upon contact with the technical form of activity of the machine-communicator. The role turns into a synthesis of anthropo- and technomorphic manifestations. The machine begins to be present as an agent and declares itself by demands to take into account its specificity. A person strives not to lose the social basis of his their behavior, and at the same time is forced to adapt to the options of the machine.

Authors: Vladimir I. Ignatyev, Ulyana S. Dushina

Direction: Sociology

Keywords: social role, human-machine communication, relational paradigm, simulation, imitation, assimilation, hybrid communication

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