Humanizing chatbots: The effects of visual, identity and conversational cues on humanness perceptions

• Published in: Computers in human behavior Vol. 97; pp. 304 - 316
• Main Authors: Go, Eun, Sundar, S. Shyam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2019; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Anthropomorphic visual cue; Anthropomorphism; Between-subjects design; Chatbots; Compensation effect; Cues; Customer services; Digital cameras; Domains; Expectancy violation effect; Identity cue; Message interactivity; Online chat agents; Visual effects; Identity cue; Expectancy violation effect; Online chat agents; Message interactivity; Anthropomorphic visual cue; Compensation effect

Chatbots are replacing human agents in a number of domains, from online tutoring to customer-service to even cognitive therapy. But, they are often machine-like in their interactions. What can we do to humanize chatbots? Should they necessarily be driven by human operators for them to be considered...