Should Siri be a Source or Medium for Ads? The Role of Source Orientation and User Motivations in User Responses to Persuasive Content from Voice Assistants

Eugene Cho, S. Shyam Sundar

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

As demonstrated by users' resistance to ads on Google Home in 2017, persuasive communications from voice assistants (VAs) can be seen as inappropriate. But, they may be better received if the VAs are not the sources but mere media for ads, as happens with radio. User motives may play a role as well, with those who use VAs primarily for information resenting ads more than those who see their VAs as social companions. To test such propositions, we conducted a scenario-based user study (N = 264) in which Siri acted as either a source of ads or as a medium for delivering ads by a human spokesperson. Findings suggest that for informationally motivated users, Siri as ad source causes reactance via lowered sense of control over the interaction. On the other hand, for those with social motives, it increases social presence and positively affects user experience of the interaction.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCHI 2022 - Extended Abstracts of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Electronic)9781450391566
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 27 2022
Externally publishedYes
Event2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI EA 2022 - Virtual, Online, United States
Duration: Apr 30 2022May 5 2022

Publication series

NameConference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

Conference

Conference2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI EA 2022
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityVirtual, Online
Period4/30/225/5/22

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Software
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design

Keywords

  • Ad attitudes
  • Advertisement
  • Audio ads
  • Computers-are-social-actors (CASA)
  • Psychological reactance
  • Smart speakers
  • Social presence
  • Virtual agents
  • Voice assistants

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