Examining the Effects of Conversational Chatbots on Changing Conspiracy Beliefs about Science: The Paradox of Interactivity

ABSTRACT

Conspiracy beliefs are commonly seen during times of uncertainty. This study examined whether a chatbot offering counter-conspiracy information can mitigate conspiracy beliefs and the role of chatbot empathy on its effectiveness. We conducted an online experiment in two different contexts (climate change vs. Covid-19) (N = 189). The results showed that as for Covid-19, participants who interacted with the chatbot with less empathetic expressions showed fewer changes in conspiracy beliefs than those who read the scientific news article. Regarding climate change, a chatbot with more empathetic expressions was more effective in changing conspiracy beliefs than an article, but only for people who can tolerate ambiguity.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ All the articles and scripts can be accessed via the link: https://osf.io/bex84/?view_only=74b1f0aca9964f61b5ea43046b9b0578

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Duquesne University McAnulty College & Graduate School NEH Endowment Fund [NJWF20E].

Notes on contributors

Jinping Wang

Dr. Jinping Wang (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University) is an Assistant Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on how affordances of media technologies shape communication behaviors and communication effectiveness.

Zeynep Tanes-Ehle

Dr. Zeynep Tanes-Ehle (Ph.D., Purdue University) is an Associate Professor at Duquesne University Media Department. Her research focuses on the impact of interactive media on the individual and the society. She is particularly interested in cognitive and behavioral outcomes of gamification in risk communication.