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The Interplay Between Human Likeness and Agency on Virtual Influencer Credibility.
1School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking
|September 26, 2023
Summary
Human likeness significantly impacts virtual influencer credibility and user interaction intention. However, agency
Area of Science:
- Marketing
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Digital Communication
Background:
- Virtual influencers are increasingly prevalent in digital marketing.
- Understanding factors influencing their effectiveness is crucial for brands.
- Human likeness and agency are key characteristics of virtual influencers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between human likeness and agency in virtual influencers.
- To determine their impact on source credibility and user interaction intention.
- To explore the moderating role of agency on the relationship between human likeness and interaction.
Main Methods:
- Experimental design manipulating human likeness (human-like vs. avatar-like) and agency (avatar vs. agent).
- Measurement of perceived source credibility (attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise).
- Assessment of intention to interact with the virtual influencer.
Main Results:
- Human likeness significantly influenced credibility and interaction intention.
- Agency did not significantly impact credibility or interaction intention overall.
- Automated virtual influencers (agents) were perceived as more attractive and trustworthy in avatar-like conditions, increasing interaction intention.
- Agency moderated the indirect effect of human likeness on interaction via attractiveness and trustworthiness.
Conclusions:
- Human likeness is a primary driver of virtual influencer effectiveness.
- The impact of agency is context-dependent, particularly for avatar-like virtual influencers.
- Findings offer insights for designing and deploying virtual influencers in marketing strategies.
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