{"title":"Examining the Effects of Conversational Chatbots on Changing Conspiracy Beliefs about Science: The Paradox of Interactivity","authors":"Jinping Wang, Zeynep Tanes-Ehle","doi":"10.1080/08838151.2022.2153842","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Conspiracy beliefs are commonly seen during times of uncertainty. This study examined whether a chatbot offering counter-conspiracy information can mitigate conspiracy beliefs and the role of chatbot empathy on its effectiveness. We conducted an online experiment in two different contexts (climate change vs. Covid-19) (N = 189). The results showed that as for Covid-19, participants who interacted with the chatbot with less empathetic expressions showed fewer changes in conspiracy beliefs than those who read the scientific news article. Regarding climate change, a chatbot with more empathetic expressions was more effective in changing conspiracy beliefs than an article, but only for people who can tolerate ambiguity.","PeriodicalId":48051,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media","volume":"67 1","pages":"68 - 89"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media","FirstCategoryId":"98","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2022.2153842","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"COMMUNICATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
ABSTRACT Conspiracy beliefs are commonly seen during times of uncertainty. This study examined whether a chatbot offering counter-conspiracy information can mitigate conspiracy beliefs and the role of chatbot empathy on its effectiveness. We conducted an online experiment in two different contexts (climate change vs. Covid-19) (N = 189). The results showed that as for Covid-19, participants who interacted with the chatbot with less empathetic expressions showed fewer changes in conspiracy beliefs than those who read the scientific news article. Regarding climate change, a chatbot with more empathetic expressions was more effective in changing conspiracy beliefs than an article, but only for people who can tolerate ambiguity.
期刊介绍：
Published quarterly for the Broadcast Education Association, the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media contains timely articles about new developments, trends, and research in electronic media written by academicians, researchers, and other electronic media professionals. The Journal invites submissions of original research that examine a broad range of issues concerning the electronic media, including the historical, technological, economic, legal, policy, cultural, social, and psychological dimensions. Scholarship that extends a historiography, tests theory, or that fosters innovative perspectives on topics of importance to the field, is particularly encouraged. The Journal is open to a diversity of theoretic paradigms and methodologies.
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