•Chatbots are increasingly used as substitutes for human service agents in online shops.•Anthropomorphizing chatbots increases perceived consumer-chatbot similarity.•Matching chatbot gender with ...consumer gender positively impacts consumer behavior.•First insights indicate that non-binary consumers prefer neutral chatbots.
Chatbots are increasingly used as substitutes for human service agents in online shops. This has led researchers to analyze how chatbot characteristics influence consumer responses. However, while the relevance of chatbot characteristics has been examined, to date, consumers’ personalities have remained unattended in the research on this innovative mode of online support. Therefore, this study aims to understand how the interaction of consumer characteristics and chatbot characteristics influences consumer behavior. In doing so, we focus on how chatbots’ visual cues (i.e., anthropomorphization, gender) influence consumer behavior while also considering consumers’ self-concept. To answer the research question, we first conceptually discuss why consumer behavior depends on perceived self-congruence between consumers and a chatbot, which can be reached by anthropomorphizing chatbots and giving them the “right” gender. Subsequently, based on multiple studies, we empirically test the hypotheses considering male, female, and non-binary consumers. Our results demonstrate the relevance of both chatbot anthropomorphization and chatbot gender.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
How educational media can support learning is a growing concern. This study examined the impact of age (4-year-olds vs. 6-year-olds) and informants (human vs. animal puppet vs. anthropomorphic ...language animal puppet) on children’s animal knowledge learning and anthropomorphic generalization. A total of 210 children aged 4 and 6 participated. Children learned equally well from each of the three types of informants. Six-year-olds learned more than did 4-year-olds and were also more curious to learn more about the animal after watching the videos. Four-year-olds were more likely to generalize anthropomorphic traits in animals than were older children. Finally, 4-year-olds in the animal puppet group showed a significantly higher preference for the informant than did 4-year-olds in the human and anthropomorphic language animal puppet groups. Overall, the findings showed that watching animal educational videos can promote children’s acquisition of animal knowledge and that children learn equally well from human and puppet informants. Additionally, younger children may enjoy learning from non-anthropomorphic language animal puppets more than from humans and anthropomorphic language animal puppets, but there are no significant differences in their learning.
•This paper looks at children's animal knowledge learning from human and puppet informants.•Children learned equally well from different informants.•Watching the anthropomorphic language video appeared to hinder children's generalization of anthropomorphic traits.•There were no differences in children’s learning despite differences in subjective liking toward informants.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
(HSRs) are human-made technologies that can take physical or digital form, resemble people in form or behavior to some degree, and are designed to interact with people. A common assumption is that ...social robots can and should mimic humans, such that human-robot interaction (HRI) closely resembles human-human (i.e., interpersonal) interaction. Research is often framed from the assumption that rules and theories that apply to interpersonal interaction should apply to HRI (e.g., the computers are social actors framework). Here, we challenge these assumptions and consider more deeply the relevance and applicability of our knowledge about personal relationships to relationships with social robots. First, we describe the typical characteristics of HSRs available to consumers currently, elaborating characteristics relevant to understanding social interactions with robots such as form anthropomorphism and behavioral anthropomorphism. We also consider common social affordances of modern HSRs (persistence, personalization, responsiveness, contingency, and conversational control) and how these align with human capacities and expectations. Next, we present predominant interpersonal theories whose primary claims are foundational to our understanding of human relationship development (social exchange theories, including resource theory, interdependence theory, equity theory, and social penetration theory). We consider whether interpersonal theories are viable frameworks for studying HRI and human-robot relationships given their theoretical assumptions and claims. We conclude by providing suggestions for researchers and designers, including alternatives to equating human-robot relationships to human-human relationships.
Anthropomorphizing chatbots can facilitate effective customer interaction. Based on a mixed method, this study explores perceived chatbot anthropomorphism cues and their effects on customers' chatbot ...usage intentions (UIs)in the online travel agency context. Findings suggest that (1) social presence cues and emotional message cues are major anthropomorphic cues of interest for customers and enterprises; (2) social presence cues by simply using a human avatar or mentioning the customer's name might not be sufficient; (3) anthropomorphic emotional message cues are essential in shaping customers' UIs; and (4) perceived trustworthiness, intelligence, and enjoyment mediate the above effect.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, NUK, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
In the current era, interacting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an everyday activity. Understanding the interaction between humans and AI is of potential value because, in future, such ...interactions are expected to become more pervasive. Two studies—one survey and one experiment—were conducted to demonstrate positive effects of anthropomorphism on interactions with smart-speaker-based AI assistants and to examine the mediating role of psychological distance in this relationship. The results of Study 1, an online survey, showed that participants with a higher tendency to anthropomorphize their AI assistant/s evaluated it/them more positively, and this effect was mediated by psychological distance. In Study 2, the hypotheses were tested in a more sophisticated experiment. Again, the results indicated that, in the high-anthropomorphism (vs. low-anthropomorphism) condition, participants had more positive attitudes toward the AI assistant, and the effect was mediated by psychological distance. Though several studies have demonstrated the effect of anthropomorphism, few have probed the underlying mechanism of anthropomorphism thoroughly. The current research not only contributes to the anthropomorphism literature, but also provides direction to research on facilitating human–AI interaction.
•Anthropomorphism has a positive effect on the evaluation of AI assistants.•Psychological distance plays a mediating role in this relationship.•Uncanny response does not correlate with anthropomorphism.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•Consumers respond more favorably to human service agents who use literal (vs. figurative) language.•The language style effects extend to service robots, but not to service kiosks based on the notion ...of anthropomorphism.•Perceived credibility is the psychological mechanism explaining the impact of language styles on service encounter satisfaction.•Hospitality managers should encourage frontline employees to use literal (vs. figurative) language when interacting with customers.•Furthermore, firms can enhance service encounter quality by tuning their service robots to use literal language, while flexibility in language styles is fine for service kiosks.
Is figurative or literal language more effective in the service encounter context? The current research reveals that literal language used by a service provider might be more congruent with conversational norms, thus leading to better customer evaluation. Most importantly, the effectiveness of language styles (literal vs. figurative) is contingent on a service agent type (human vs. robot vs. kiosk). Specifically, consumers respond more favorably to human service agents who use literal (vs. figurative) language, and due to the notion of anthropomorphism such an effect extends to service robots. However, the language style effect is not observed among service kiosks as they lack humanlike features. Furthermore, perceived credibility is the underlying mechanism explaining the language style effect among service agents.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Sophisticated technology is increasingly replacing human minds to perform complicated tasks in domains ranging from medicine to education to transportation. We investigated an important theoretical ...determinant of people's willingness to trust such technology to perform competently—the extent to which a nonhuman agent is anthropomorphized with a humanlike mind—in a domain of practical importance, autonomous driving. Participants using a driving simulator drove either a normal car, an autonomous vehicle able to control steering and speed, or a comparable autonomous vehicle augmented with additional anthropomorphic features—name, gender, and voice. Behavioral, physiological, and self-report measures revealed that participants trusted that the vehicle would perform more competently as it acquired more anthropomorphic features. Technology appears better able to perform its intended design when it seems to have a humanlike mind. These results suggest meaningful consequences of humanizing technology, and also offer insights into the inverse process of objectifying humans.
•Anthropomorphism of a car predicts trust in that car.•Trust is reflected in behavioral, physiological, and self-report measures.•Anthropomorphism also affects attributions of responsibility/punishment.•These findings shed light on human interaction with autonomous vehicles.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Conversational agents are systems with human‐like features that can be deployed in service settings and are fast emerging as the future of online commerce. Considering the importance and ...proliferation of conversational commerce, it is opportune to take stock of the field's research from a bird's eye view to guide understanding of its current and future progress. In this regard, the goal of this study is to review the performance and intellectual structure of conversational commerce. To do so, this study conducts a comprehensive and systematic review of 722 publications on conversational commerce using the Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews protocol and a collection of bibliometric analysis techniques consisting of performance analysis and science mapping (e.g., content analysis, keyword co‐occurrence analysis, and bibliographic coupling). In doing so, this study reveals the performance (e.g., publication and citation trends, and top sources, publications, and authors) and the major theories and themes in the intellectual structure of the field. The study concludes with a conceptual framework depicting the constructs (e.g., antecedents, mediators, moderators, consequences, and enablers) of employing conversational agents for commerce and service delivery, as well as suggestions for its future research.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Eliza in the uncanny valley Kim, Seo Young; Schmitt, Bernd H.; Thalmann, Nadia M.
Marketing letters,
03/2019, Volume:
30, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Consumer robots are predicted to be employed in a variety of customer-facing situations. As these robots are designed to look and behave like humans, consumers attribute human traits to them—a ...phenomenon known as the “Eliza Effect.” In four experiments, we show that the anthropomorphism of a consumer robot increases psychological warmth but decreases attitudes, due to uncanniness. Competence judgments are much less affected and not subject to a decrease in attitudes. The current research contributes to research on artificial intelligence, anthropomorphism, and the uncanny valley phenomenon. We suggest to managers that they need to make sure that the appearances and behaviors of robots are not too human-like to avoid negative attitudes toward robots. Moreover, managers and researchers should collaborate to determine the optimal level of anthropomorphism.
PDF
