Int. J. Technology Marketing, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2007 243 Copyright © 2007 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Individual assessment of humanlike consumer robots: an extended TAM with aesthetic response and tolerance Adesegun Oyedele and Soonkwan Hong* College of Business Administration The University of Texas-Pan American 1201 West University Drive Edinburg, TX 78541, USA Fax: (956) 381–2867 E-mail: adeseguno@yahoo.com E-mail: shong@utpa.edu *Corresponding author Michael S. Minor College of Business Administration The University of Texas-Pan American 1201 West University Drive Edinburg, TX 78541, USA E-mail: msminor@hotmail.com Abstract: This study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as it is incorporated with individual aesthetic response and aesthetic tolerance in order to explain individual receptiveness towards Humanlike Consumer Robots (HCRs). Utilising experimental survey data collected from 241 respondents exposed to a HCR (‘Robosapien’), the results of the study suggest that perceived visual aesthetics and individual aesthetic tolerance are strongly associated with attitude towards and intention to own the HCR. Consequently, although not conclusive, the results of the study signify the fact that the hedonic aspects of the HCR may be more, at least equally, relevant than the utilitarian aspects. A detailed discussion followed by managerial implications and future research suggestions is provided. Keywords: Technology Acceptance Model; TAM; Hedonic consumption; aesthetics; product design; consumer robot; structural equation modelling; internet marketing. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Oyedele, A., Hong, S. and Minor, M.S. (2007) ‘Individual assessment of humanlike consumer robots: an extended TAM with aesthetic response and tolerance’, Int. J. Technology Marketing, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp.243–263. Biographical notes: Adesegun Oyedele is a PhD candidate in Marketing at the University of Texas-Pan American. He has published a paper in the Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing and International Journal of Service Industry Management, and he presented papers in AMA and AMS conferences. His research interests include self-service technology and consumers’ interactions with technological products.