Research shows that chatbots stimulate a positive state of mind among their users. As a result users enjoy more pleasure in performing their activities and spend more time on performing them. According to ‘social response theory’, the ‘social cues’ send by chatbots increase the users’ involvement in interacting with a computer. As a consequence chatbots contribute to a more personal perception of the online experience.
Research
Wang et al. (2007) found that the use of avatars increase a positive state of mind among website visitors. It appeared that interacting with avatars stimulates a positive ‘flow’:
- users have the feeling of being ‘in control’
- users are more focused on the interactions and are becoming less distracted by their environment
- the interest in the conversation increases during subsequent interactions
- the curiosity of the users is stimulated
‘Flow’ is a psychological state of mind which one may experience when performing activities. Being in a flow corresponds with having more pleasure and being induced to spend more time on performing the activities. The tasks also seem to be less difficult or heavy, when one is in a flow.
Social cues
According to social response theory, people are automatically inclined to react on social signals or ‘cues’, also when these cues are send by a computer. These cues are in fact humanlike attributes, like appearance, shape, language, voice, interactivity and social role.
As soon as a computer sends out social cues, people start to respond automatically through their ‘social scripts’. These scripts determine more or less how one should react. For example, interest is generally responded with interest, and a polite cue with a polite reaction.
We are not aware of these reactions. Moon (2000) described that the social scripts are more or less unintentionally applied to a computer as a social actor.
A more personal online experience
The more social cues a computer is able to send, the more the computer is perceived as a social actor and hence, the more the online experience will be perceived as personal. Wang et al. (2007) showed that by having the chatbot playing a certain role, like for example a tour guide, the more the computer will be perceived as a social actor.
Sources:
Moon, Y. (2000). Intimate Exchanges: Using Computers to Elicit Self-Disclosure from Consumers. Journal of Consumer Research, 26(March), 323-339.
Wang, L. C., J. Baker, J.A. Wagner, en K. Wakefield, (2007). ‘Can a Retail Web Site Be Social?’, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 71, No. 3, pp. 143-157
This article is detracted and translated from the Handboek Chatbot, which is recently published by the Dutch Stichting Klantinteractie Research Centrum.
The book will soon be available in English as the Handbook Chatbot, 12 Perspectives and 35 Possibilities.
