University of Twente Student Theses

Designing for a better user experience : The effects of visual appearance, gender, and context on perceptions of trust, perceived ease of use, empathy, customer satisfaction, competence, social presence, and intention to use

Simbach, Leandra Valeria (2024) Designing for a better user experience : The effects of visual appearance, gender, and context on perceptions of trust, perceived ease of use, empathy, customer satisfaction, competence, social presence, and intention to use.

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Abstract:	Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular as service assistants in a time where users have an increased urge for quick responses. Chatbots can be implemented in various contexts and bring along many advantages for users as well as for the companies integrating them. The majority of chatbots applied are portrayed with the help of an avatar but not all are equally effective. This study investigates different chatbot designs aiming to demonstrate whether visual appearance of the chatbot, gender of the chatbot, or the context the chatbot is administered in have an infl uence on users’ perceptions of the chatbot regarding customer satisfaction, perceived ease of use, trust, empathy, social presence, competence, and intention to use. A quantitative study with a 2x2x2 design was conducted. Visual appearance has been compared with the help of a smiling and a non-smiling facial expression, gender has been examined using a male and a female version, and a healthcare versus a financial context have been opposed. A survey with 232 participants was conducted. Previously, a pre-test to validate the designs was undertaken. The context the chatbot interacts in did produce the most significant effects. For most dependent variables, there was a difference in the scores of contexts. In general, the healthcare context produced higher numbers, with a few exceptions. The visual appearance as well as the gender of the chatbot are only relevant the interaction with each other or in relation to context. There are no effects of any variable on perceived ease of use. The appearance of a chatbot, their gender, as well as the context of interaction all influence perceptions of the chatbot, with context having the main influence on perceptions of chatbot design. The study provides implications for the integration of social presence theory and user-centred design.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	05 communication studies, 70 social sciences in general, 77 psychology
Programme:	Communication Science MSc (60713)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/104626
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