Hypocrisy Induction

Using Chatbots to Promote Covid-19 Social Distancing

Bibliographic Data

ID22004020
AuthorsWoojin Kim (0000-0001-5865-4654, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Yuhosua Ryoo (0000-0001-8153-9320, Southern Illinois University Carbondale)
Year2022
Volume25
Issue1
Pages27-36
Publication date2022-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2152-2715 • E-ISSN: 2152-2723
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1089/cyber.2021.0057
PMID34652216
OpenAlexW3205892543
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited66

Considering widespread resistance to COVID-19 preventive measures, the authors draw on hypocrisy induction theory to examine whether online chatbots can be used to induce hypocrisy and increase compliance with social distancing guidelines. The experiment demonstrates that when a chatbot induces hypocrisy by reminding participants that they have failed to comply with social distancing recommendations, they feel guilty about violating social norms. To reinstate confidence in their personal standards, they form favorable attitudes toward the chatbot ad and establish intentions to comply with recommendations. Interestingly, the persuasive power of hypocrisy induction differs depending on the level of anthropomorphism of the chatbot. When a humanlike chatbot reminds them of their hypocritical behavior, participants feel higher levels of guilt and act more desirably, but a machinelike chatbot is not effective for creating guilt or generating compliance

Chatbot · Disease · Distancing · Hypocrisy · Political science · Social distance · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology