Five-year-olds are remarkably tuned in to the world around them. They pick up social cues, respond to praise and disapproval, and begin to understand how others feel. For children at this stage of development, nothing compares to the warmth, attention, and emotional feedback of human contact.

But that kind of interaction isn’t always guaranteed. Some children get plenty of one-on-one time, while others don’t. For those who don't, could something else step in? Not to replace adults, but to offer a kind of support? New research from NTT suggests that, under the right conditions, a friendly robot might do just that.

Reacting to Robots

In a recent study involving 112 five-year-old children, researchers from the NTT Science and Core Technology Laboratory Group looked at how kids respond when they interact with a robot. The experiment involved four different conditions. Some children met a robot that could talk and gesture. Others met a robot that moved and spoke, but only on a loop. A third group saw a motionless robot. And a fourth group had no robot present at all.

Encouraging Generosity

After the interaction, each child was asked to divide ten stickers between themselves and an imagined other child. The results were very interesting. Children who had spent time with the interactive robot tended to share more of their stickers, suggesting a stronger inclination toward altruistic behavior. The other three groups didn’t show the same pattern.

Social Interaction and Emotional Capacity

What was special about that one group? The key difference seems to be social engagement. The interactive robot didn’t just blink and speak; it responded. It gave the impression of being present in the moment. Children looked at the robot not just as a machine, but as something capable of emotion. When asked whether it could feel happy or sad, children were far more likely to say "Yes" in the case of the social robot than the others. Their answers to questions about the robot’s intelligence or ability to perceive the world were more evenly spread across conditions, but what stood out was their belief in emotional capacity. That seems to have shaped how the children behaved.

A Support for Parents and Teachers

Before you start worrying about robots taking over our children's education, be at ease. This doesn’t mean robots can or should take over their education. Children need human connection; it's a fundamental need. But NTT's research does raise a possibility: if a robot can help promote empathy, cooperation, or generosity in certain settings, it may have a role to play in supporting early development. It could potentially be useful in a classroom where a teacher is unable to give every child individual attention. Or at home, where a parent might be balancing multiple demands. The idea is not to replace people, but to build tools that offer additional support where it’s lacking.

Pitarie Touch

As far as NTT is concerned, the research has already begun to take on practical form. One project already in use is Pitarie Touch, which uses a social robot to recommend picture books based on a child’s preferences and developmental stage. Children can also talk with the robot about the stories they’ve read, helping them reflect and engage more deeply. The system doesn’t try to imitate a teacher or parent, but offers something simpler: a responsive, consistent companion that can encourage curiosity and conversation.

Not Replacing. Supplementing

We know there’s still a long way to go. A robot can't understand a child’s mood the way a teacher can. It won’t pick up on frustration, boredom, or joy with the same accuracy. But studies like this suggest that interaction matters. When a robot is more than just a toy, when it can engage, respond, and seem emotionally present, it may be able to nudge children toward more thoughtful behavior. That is not a substitute for human guidance, of course. But it's not nothing, either.

These are the Droids You’re Looking For

Children learn from what they’re given. When they receive attention, feedback, and warmth from the people around them, they grow. When those things are limited, the right kind of technology might help fill some of the gaps. Not perfectly and not as a perfect solution. But perhaps as a support, in the places where support is most needed.

Innovating a Sustainable Future for People and Planet

For further information, please see this link:
https://group.ntt/en/newsrelease/2025/05/13/250513c.html

If you have any questions on the content of this article, please contact:
Public Relations
NTT Science and Core Technology Laboratory Group
https://tools.group.ntt/en/rd/contact/index.php

Daniel O'Connor

Daniel O'Connor joined the NTT Group in 1999 when he began work as the Public Relations Manager of NTT Europe. While in London, he liaised with the local press, created the company's intranet site, wrote technical copy for industry magazines and managed exhibition stands from initial design to finished displays.

Later seconded to the headquarters of NTT Communications in Tokyo, he contributed to the company's first-ever winning of global telecoms awards and the digitalisation of internal company information exchange.

Since 2015 Daniel has created content for the Group's Global Leadership Institute, the One NTT Network and is currently working with NTT R&D teams to grow public understanding of the cutting-edge research undertaken by the NTT Group.