The ethics of human-robot interaction (HRI) have been discussed extensively based on three traditional frameworks: deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. We conducted a mixed within/between experiment to investigate Sparrow's proposed ethical asymmetry hypothesis in human treatment of robots. The moral permissibility of action (MPA) was manipulated as a subject grouping variable, and virtue type (prudence, justice, courage, and temperance) was controlled as a within-subjects factor. We tested moral stimuli using an online questionnaire with Perceived Moral Permissibility of Action (PMPA) and Perceived Virtue Scores (PVS) as response measures. The PVS measure was based on an adaptation of the established Questionnaire on Cardinal Virtues (QCV), while the PMPA was based on Malle et al. [39] work. We found that the MPA significantly influenced the PMPA and perceived virtue scores. The best-fitting model to describe the relationship between PMPA and PVS was cubic, which is symmetrical in nature. Our study did not confirm Sparrow's asymmetry hypothesis. The adaptation of the QCV is expected to have utility for future studies, pending additional psychometric property assessments.

翻译：基于义务论、结果论与德性伦理学三大传统框架，人机交互伦理已得到广泛探讨。本研究采用混合被试内/被试间实验设计，检验Sparrow提出的人类对待机器人时的伦理不对称假说。实验将行为道德可允许性作为被试分组变量进行操控，并将德性类型（审慎、公正、勇气、节制）作为被试内因素加以控制。通过在线问卷呈现道德情境刺激，以感知行为道德可允许性与感知德性评分作为反应指标。感知德性评分基于经典《核心德性问卷》改编版，感知行为道德可允许性则依据Malle等人[39]的研究范式构建。研究发现：行为道德可允许性对感知行为道德可允许性及感知德性评分均产生显著影响；描述二者关系的最佳拟合模型为三次函数模型，该模型本质具有对称性。本研究未能证实Sparrow的不对称假说。改编版《核心德性问卷》经后续心理测量学特性评估后，可望为未来研究提供有效工具。