Original Paper The Attitudes of Therapists and Physicians on the Use of Sex

Theoretical Framework
This study is based on the uses and gratifications approach.
Studies following this approach investigate how recipients
actively deal with media [
22
]. The aim of this concept is to find
out the motives and utilization scenarios of the media usage
preferences of the consumers. The users decide on the basis of
their interests (content, formats, and aesthetics) and needs (eg,
escape from reality, information, and entertainment) whether
and what kind of media they prefer to use. The use of media
thus depends on their expectations and the satisfaction of the
needs the media offer [
23
]. The uses and gratifications approach
is less a theory than a research strategy. Further developments
such as the expectancy-value theory help to give this approach
a stronger theoretical foundation. The expectancy-value theory
deals with the relationship between attitude and behavior. It
provides an explanation of how the subjective attitude toward
an object affects the probability of performing certain actions.
According to Fishbein’s model [
24
], it is believed that an attitude
(A) toward an object (O) can be expressed in a function of
beliefs (B) toward this object and the evaluations (E) of these
expectations. According to this theory, there is a relationship
between attitudes and the resulting behavior. Applied to our
research project, this means that the expectation that sex robots
possess a certain attribute, such as therapeutic potential,
influences their use or recommendation. As sex robots is a new
phenomenon, which is still in the development phase and
experience reports have been missing so far, we wanted to
survey the motives, possible use scenarios, and expectations of
the therapeutic potential of therapists and physicians. This is of
particular importance in the early phase of the development of
sex robots so as to be able to contribute to this development
from the perspective of the therapist.