Researching interactions between humans and machines: methodological challenges

Abstract Communication scholars are increasingly concerned with interactions between humans and communicative agents. These agents, however, considerably different from digital or social media: They designed perceived as life-like communication partners (i.e., “communicative subjects”), which in turn poses distinct challenges for their empirical study. Hence, this paper, we document, discuss, evaluate potentials pitfalls that typically arise when investigating simulated non-simulated chatbots, voice assistants, robots. In focus on experiments (including pre-recorded stimuli, vignettes the “Wizard of Oz”-technique) field studies. Overall, paper aims to provide guidance support who want empirically study human-machine communication. To end, not only compile potential challenges, but also recommend specific strategies approaches. addition, our reflections current methodological serve a starting point discussions science how meaning-making machines can be investigated best way possible, illustrated concluding section.