Abstract
Despite the growing popularity of chatbots, their success depends on humans disclosing personal and sensitive information. Prior research indicates that human-like chatbots enhance self-disclosure by subconsciously applying social scripts and mirroring user characteristics. However, the role of emotions in chatbot-human interactions, especially regarding privacy tradeoffs, remains complex. This study aims to improve understanding of how chatbots’ use of positive emojis influences self-disclosure in online dating contexts. We developed an experimental matchmaking chatbot, TinderBot, and conducted two randomized experiments with 759 participants. Experiment 1 manipulated the chatbot’s use of emojis, while experiment 2 also varied the sensitivity of personal questions. The results suggest that chatbots using positive emojis significantly increase perceived friendliness of the chatbot, which positively influences users’ emotional state and self-disclosure behavior. This effect is substantial for highly sensitive questions but negligible for less sensitive ones. Our findings highlight the potential of emotion-driven chatbot design to foster trust and enhance user engagement and information sharing in digital matchmaking platforms, while also underscoring the importance of being aware of privacy tradeoffs.
Recommended Citation
Salge, Carolina Alves de Lima; Alashoor, Tawfiq; and Feine, Jasper, "Digital Matchmakers: How Chatbots Use Positive Emotions to
Influence Human Self-Disclosure" (2024). SaudiCIS 2024 Proceedings. 61.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/saudicis2024/61
Abstract Only