<p>Competence and warmth are fundamental dimensions of social cognition and profoundly impact interpersonal and group interactions. Through three text-based experiments, this study investigated the relationship between the two and their respective roles in human-robot interaction (HRI). Regarding their relationship, this study found that the compensation and halo effects observed in human-human interaction (HHI) do not fully apply to HRI. In both comparative and independent frameworks, high-competence robots are perceived as warmer than low-competence robots, and high-warmth robots are perceived as more competent than low-warmth robots. Low-competence robots are perceived as having both lower competence and warmth, whereas low-warmth robots are perceived to have higher competence than their warmth. Regarding the primacy of competence and warmth, this study found no significant difference in individuals’ intention to use competent robots and warm robots as interactive objects; however, competence was a stronger predictor than warmth. As communication tools, warm robots elicited greater willingness for use from individuals. Both competence and warmth could predict individuals’ trust, and trust positively predicted their intention to use robots. The findings of this study enhance understanding of the differences between HHI and HRI based on trait perceptions, offering a foundational step and insights for understanding perceptions of robot traits that may inform future robot design and deployment in more diverse, interactive contexts.</p>