Opposing Effects of Response Time in Human-Chatbot Interaction The Moderating Role of Prior Experience

Research has shown that employing social cues (e.g., name, human-like avatar) in chatbot design enhances users' social presence perceptions and their chatbot usage intentions. However, the picture is less clear for the social cue of chatbot response time. While some researchers argue that instant responses make chatbots appear unhuman-like, others suggest that delayed responses are perceived less positively. Drawing on social response theory and expectancy violations theory, this study investigates whether users' prior experience with chatbots clarifies the inconsistencies in the literature. In a lab experiment (N = 202), participants interacted with a chatbot that responded either instantly or with a delay. The results reveal that a delayed response time has opposing effects on social presence and usage intentions and shed light on the differences between novice users and experienced users - that is, those who have not interacted with a chatbot before vs. those who have. This study contributes to information systems literature by identifying prior experience as a key moderating factor that shapes users' social responses to chatbots and by reconciling inconsistencies in the literature regarding the role of chatbot response time. For practitioners, this study points out a drawback of the widely adopted one-design-fits-all approach to chatbot design.

Automated summary

Research has shown that using social cues in chatbot design enhances users' social presence and usage intentions. However, the effect of chatbot response time on social cues is still unclear. This study examines the role of users' prior experience with chatbots and finds that delayed response time has opposing effects on social presence and usage intentions, highlighting the differences between experienced and novice users.