Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Management

A Conceptual Model of Antecedents to Para-Social Presence of Chatbots

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Abstract

The purpose of this abstract is to discuss potential characteristics of a chatbot and propose a conceptual model delineating the impact of such characteristics in influencing a chatbot’s para-social presence. Based on Computers Are Social Actors paradigm and construal level theory, we propose that increasing the number and frequency of the social cues in a conversation in the form of para-linguistic cues (P1), backchannelling cues (P2), empathetic cues (P3), and emojis (P4) will enhance the para-social presence of a chatbot. We suggest that chatbots’ social cues can impact users’ judgment of the chatbot’s personality traits (P5), and that a chatbot enduing the personality traits (i.e., high extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and low neuroticism) exhibiting a friendly personality may increase its para-social presence (P6). Based on our propositions, we suggest that increasing the number and frequency of social cues could project a chatbot as friendly, enhancing its para-social presence.

Keywords: Para-social presence, chatbot, social cues, personality traits

How to Cite:

Chakraborty, S. & Kwon, W., (2022) “A Conceptual Model of Antecedents to Para-Social Presence of Chatbots”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13386