Paper Type
Short
Paper Number
PACIS2026-1904
Description
Borrowers' profile images constitute a primary information source for lenders on prosocial lending platforms to assess identifiability and make funding decisions. While prior research has established the impact of discrete facial emotions, the role of facial emotional ambiguity from weak or multiple expressions (termed neutral and mixed) remains unclear. Similarly, background cues, particularly those signaling personal space, have received little attention despite their potential influence on identifiability. Drawing on the identifiable victim effect and cue utilization theory, this study examines how facial emotional ambiguity and personal space cues jointly shape funding performance. Analyzing millions of loan items on Kiva, we find that both neutral and mixed facial expressions slow funding speed. Critically, personal space cues attenuate the negative effect of mixed expressions but show no moderating effect for neutral expressions. These findings advance research on visual persuasion in prosocial lending, while offering practical guidance for optimizing borrower image presentation.
Recommended Citation
Li, Mengyi and Zhang, Yicheng, "Visual Cues in Prosocial Lending: The Role of Emotional Ambiguity and Personal Space" (2026). PACIS 2026 Proceedings. 16.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2026/general_topic/general_topic/16
Visual Cues in Prosocial Lending: The Role of Emotional Ambiguity and Personal Space
Borrowers' profile images constitute a primary information source for lenders on prosocial lending platforms to assess identifiability and make funding decisions. While prior research has established the impact of discrete facial emotions, the role of facial emotional ambiguity from weak or multiple expressions (termed neutral and mixed) remains unclear. Similarly, background cues, particularly those signaling personal space, have received little attention despite their potential influence on identifiability. Drawing on the identifiable victim effect and cue utilization theory, this study examines how facial emotional ambiguity and personal space cues jointly shape funding performance. Analyzing millions of loan items on Kiva, we find that both neutral and mixed facial expressions slow funding speed. Critically, personal space cues attenuate the negative effect of mixed expressions but show no moderating effect for neutral expressions. These findings advance research on visual persuasion in prosocial lending, while offering practical guidance for optimizing borrower image presentation.
Comments
17-General