Chatbot language style matching and reuse intention in service failure: A communication accommodation theory
Shanji Yao1, Jiaojiao Wang1, Dewen Liu2
1School of Economics and Management, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
Abstract:
Language style matching (LSM), a form of linguistic convergence, enhances communication quality and social identity in interpersonal interactions, but its mechanism in human-chatbot interaction-especially after service failures-remains underexplored. Drawing on Communication Accommodation Theory, this research examines how chatbot LSM affects users' reuse intention in service failure contexts. LSM was operationalized through chatbots' adaptive use of function words (e.g., pronouns, auxiliary verbs) during text-based interactions: measured via the established function-word matching formula (Ireland & Pennebaker, 2010), manipulated by programming the chatbot to align with or diverge from users' function-word patterns, and applied to text-based service recovery scenarios. Four controlled experiments test the mediating role of perceived humanness and the moderating role of service failure severity. Results show that the positive effect of LSM on reuse intention is stronger under minor (vs. major) service failures. This research broadens LSM application to human-chatbot interaction, extends communication accommodation theory to non-human agents, and offers insights for chatbot service design.
Related Concept Videos
Stereotype Content Model
Nonconscious Mimicry
Correspondence Bias
Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory
Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect

