TY - CHAP

T1 - Empathic Healthcare Chatbots

T2 - 42nd International Conference on Information Systems - ICIS 2021 TREOs

AU - Seitz, Lennart

AU - Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, Sigrid

N1 - Conference code: 42

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The implementation of empathy to interactions with healthcare chatbots is considered promising since it is a crucial element in doctor-patient relationships. Existing research commonly conceptualizes the multifaceted concept of empathy unidimensional resulting in an insufficient consideration of different types of empathic expressions. Drawing on the assumption that emotional empathic expressions are perceived as more human-like but less authentic than empathic caring behavior, we compare the outcomes of both empathy types. We therefore conducted an online experiment with n=403 participants who interacted with one of five diagnosis chatbots each expressing a different type of empathy. First results support our hypothesis that emotional expressions increase social presence but decrease authenticity while the opposite is true for caring chatbots. Mediation analysis reveals that both function as opposing mediators between empathy type and the chatbot's likeability. Our research thus contributes to a differentiated view on empathy in interactions with chatbots.

AB - The implementation of empathy to interactions with healthcare chatbots is considered promising since it is a crucial element in doctor-patient relationships. Existing research commonly conceptualizes the multifaceted concept of empathy unidimensional resulting in an insufficient consideration of different types of empathic expressions. Drawing on the assumption that emotional empathic expressions are perceived as more human-like but less authentic than empathic caring behavior, we compare the outcomes of both empathy types. We therefore conducted an online experiment with n=403 participants who interacted with one of five diagnosis chatbots each expressing a different type of empathy. First results support our hypothesis that emotional expressions increase social presence but decrease authenticity while the opposite is true for caring chatbots. Mediation analysis reveals that both function as opposing mediators between empathy type and the chatbot's likeability. Our research thus contributes to a differentiated view on empathy in interactions with chatbots.

KW - anthropomorphism

KW - chatbot

KW - conversational agent

KW - Empathy

KW - health

KW - Management studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172073141&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/60862790-dc83-3144-9167-f569fda08a14/

M3 - Article in conference proceedings

AN - SCOPUS:85172073141

SN - 978-1-7336325-9-1

T3 - 42nd International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2021 TREOs: "Building Sustainability and Resilience with IS: A Call for Action"

BT - 42nd International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2021 TREOs

PB - Association for Information Systems

Y2 - 12 December 2021 through 15 December 2021

ER -