A master thesis from Aalborg University
Getting Started in the Correct Stage: Designing Conversational Strategies for Proactive On-boarding in a Conversational Agent
Author(s)
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-05-28
Pages
13 pages
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of different conversational strategies on retention rates and system trust in behavior change interventions delivered through a conversational agent (CA). Utilizing a between-subject experiment with three distinct conversational strategies, namely Control, Empathetic, and Extended Conversation, we aimed to assess their effectiveness in on-boarding users and facilitating stage assessment within a physical activity behavior change intervention. Thirty participants across the three strategies engaged in a 5-day experiment, providing categorical data on stage assessment accuracy and trust scores, complemented by qualitative insights from post-interaction interviews. Statistical analyses, including Chi-squared tests and qualitative synthesis, revealed nuanced findings. While no significant differences were observed in perceived effectiveness among the strategies, interviews unveiled critical features for enhancing user engagement, such as clearer prompts, personalized interactions, and a balanced approach to human-likeness in CA responses. Despite encountering challenges like low retention rates and technical issues, our study underscores the potential of CA-based behavior change interventions, contingent upon addressing user preferences and refining CA design. Moving forward, integrating user-centered design principles and conducting further research will be pivotal in harnessing the full potential of CAs to drive positive health outcomes through physical behavior change interventions.
Keywords
Documents
Colophon: This page is part of the AAU Student Projects portal, which is run by Aalborg University. Here, you can find and download publicly available bachelor's theses and master's projects from across the university dating from 2008 onwards. Student projects from before 2008 are available in printed form at Aalborg University Library.
If you have any questions about AAU Student Projects or the research registration, dissemination and analysis at Aalborg University, please feel free to contact the VBN team. You can also find more information in the AAU Student Projects FAQs.