Should AI-Based, conversational digital assistants employ social- or task-oriented interaction style? A task-competency and reciprocity perspective for older adults

• Published in: Computers in human behavior Vol. 90; pp. 315 - 330
• Main Authors: Chattaraman, Veena, Kwon, Wi-Suk, Gilbert, Juan E., Ross, Kassandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2019; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adults; Artificial intelligence; Between-subjects design; cognition; Conversation; Digital assistants; Electronic commerce; human behavior; Information load; Interaction style; Internet; laboratory experimentation; Older adults; Older people; Personal digital assistants; Reciprocity; self-efficacy; User competency; Websites; Digital assistants; Interaction style; Conversation; User competency; Artificial intelligence; Older adults
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.08.048

This study investigates whether social- versus task-oriented interaction of virtual shopping assistants differentially benefits low versus high Internet competency older consumers with respect to social (perceived interactivity, trust), cognitive (perceived information load), functional (self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness), and behavioral intent (website patronage intent) outcomes in an online shopping task. A total of 121 older adults (61–89 years) participated in a laboratory experiment with a 2 (digital assistant interaction style: (social-vs. task-oriented) × 2 (user Internet competency: low vs. high) × 2 (user exchange modality: text vs. voice) between-subjects design. The results revealed that users' Internet competency and the digital assistant's conversational style had significant interaction effects on social, functional, and behavioral intent outcomes. Social-oriented digital assistants lead to superior social outcomes (enhanced perceptions of two-way interactivity and trust in the integrity of the site) for older users with high Internet competency, who need less task-related assistance. On the other hand, low-competency older users showed significantly superior cognitive (lower perceived information load) and functional outcomes (greater perceived ease and self-efficacy of using the site) when the digital assistant employed a task-oriented interaction style. Theoretical and agent design implications are discussed. •Investigation of social-vs. task-oriented interaction style of digital assistants.•Differential benefits for low vs. high task-competency older adults.•Low competency users benefit from task- than social-oriented interaction style.•High competency users benefit from social- than task-oriented interaction style.