Tell Me, What Are You Most Afraid Of? Exploring the Effects of Agent Representation on Information Disclosure in Human-Chatbot Interaction

Self-disclosure counts as a key factor influencing successful health treatment, particularly when it comes to building functioning patient-therapist-connection. To this end, the use of chatbots may be considered promising puzzle piece that helps foster respective information provision. Several studies have shown people disclose more they are interacting with chatbot than another human being. If and how is embodied, however, seems play an important role extent which disclosed. Here, research shows less if embodied avatar in comparison without embodiment. Still, there only little available whether embodiment face inhibits disclosure, or any type will reduce amount shared information. The study presented paper thus aims investigate influences self-disclosure human-chatbot-interaction. We conducted quasi-experimental $n=178$ participants were asked interact one three settings app. In each setting, humanness was different (i.e., vs. robot disembodied). A subsequent discourse analysis explored difference breadth depth self-disclosure. Results show non-human effect on Yet, our data also shows, that, contradicting previous work, positive