Service staff makes me nervous: Exploring the impact of insecure attachment on AI service preference

Shichang Deng, Jingjing Zhang, Zhengnan Lin and Xiangqian Li

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2024, vol. 198, issue C

Abstract: This study examines customer preferences for AI versus human services, influenced by insecure attachment and service context. We conducted three studies with 1039 participants across six service scenarios. Study 1 demonstrated that customers exhibiting traits of insecure attachment, both anxious and avoidant, showed a preference for AI services in high-contact scenario, such as hair restyling. However, this effect was not significant in low-contact scenario, such as simple hair cutting. Study 2 replicated and extended the findings of Study 1 by manipulating customers' states of attachment in both high-contact (developing fitness plans) and low-contact (correcting fitness postures) service scenarios. Study 3 constructed a conditional mediation model and found that social anxiety significantly mediated the relationship between insecure attachments and the preference for AI services in high-contact scenario, such as customizing personal health insurance plans. This was not the case, however, for low-contact service like standard auto insurance purchases. This research adds to the existing literature by highlighting the influence of psychological characteristics on attitudes towards social robots. The findings offer insights for firms planning to implement AI services, suggesting careful design of AI service scripts and nuanced market segmentation.

Keywords: Insecure attachment; Social anxiety; Customer contact; AI service preference (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162523006315
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:198:y:2024:i:c:s0040162523006315

DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122946

Access Statistics for this article

Technological Forecasting and Social Change is currently edited by Fred Phillips

More articles in Technological Forecasting and Social Change from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().