Becoming Human: How Perceived Anthropomorphism and Authenticity Influence Romantic Attractiveness of Chat Agents

Social chatbots can provide users with specific social and emotional support, and intimate relationships represent an emerging area for exploration. This research describes the current state of self-disclosure in virtual romantic relationship dialogues. It examines the impact of self-disclosure with different emotions on the romantic attractiveness of virtual agents. Study 1 reveals that virtual romantic relationships are predominantly characterized by chat-based Platonic love, where individuals primarily establish these relationships to fulfill romantic needs. Study 2 highlights that perceived dialogue authenticity and anthropomorphism are vital factors attracting users to virtual agents. In contrast, the emotional category of self-disclosed personal stories in dialogues does not affect the romantic attractiveness of virtual agents. In the design of virtual romantic chatbots, more human-like conversational features, such as diverse emotional expressions, may be considered without necessarily maintaining a perpetually positive service demeanor.