AI in Business and Society
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Paper Number
1133
Paper Type
Completed
Description
Bots are widespread in a variety of online platforms including online communities. Bots perform various useful tasks but little is known about how bots may alter how humans interact with each other and exchange information. We draw on social exchange theory and symbolic interactionism to highlight the social aspect of human cognition and action and theorize how bots affect the online social environment and subsequently change how people interact with each other. We examine the effects of two fundamental forms of bots: reflexive and supervisory, and their differential impact on social exchange. With data from discussion communities on Reddit, we show that reflexive bots increase unidirectional exchange, whereas supervisory bots reduce centralization. Further, reflexive bots increase the depth of discourse, whereas supervisory bots reduce the breadth of discourse. We discuss the implications of these findings on theorizing about bots and the design of online communities.
Recommended Citation
Safadi, Hani; Lalor, John P.; and Berente, Nicholas, "The Effect of Bots on Human Interaction in Online Communities" (2021). ICIS 2021 Proceedings. 1.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2021/ai_business/ai_business/1
The Effect of Bots on Human Interaction in Online Communities
Bots are widespread in a variety of online platforms including online communities. Bots perform various useful tasks but little is known about how bots may alter how humans interact with each other and exchange information. We draw on social exchange theory and symbolic interactionism to highlight the social aspect of human cognition and action and theorize how bots affect the online social environment and subsequently change how people interact with each other. We examine the effects of two fundamental forms of bots: reflexive and supervisory, and their differential impact on social exchange. With data from discussion communities on Reddit, we show that reflexive bots increase unidirectional exchange, whereas supervisory bots reduce centralization. Further, reflexive bots increase the depth of discourse, whereas supervisory bots reduce the breadth of discourse. We discuss the implications of these findings on theorizing about bots and the design of online communities.
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