Online recommenders’ anthropomorphism improves user response to hedonic and benefit-based product appeals through the recommenders’ perceived ability to learn

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Date
2023-06-30Author
Trzebiński, Wojciech
Marciniak, Beata
Kulczycka, Eliza
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Show full item recordAbstract
Previous studies reveal the limited effectiveness of benefit-based and hedonic-based product
recommendations provided by online recommenders, and recommender anthropomorphism
is considered a remedy. This paper aims to investigate the positive effect of
anthropomorphism by involving the online recommender’s perceived ability to learn as a
mediator. Based on schema congruity theory, perceived benefit/hedonic appeals appropriateness
is considered a dependent variable. In Study 1, subtle anthropomorphic cues within
an online recommender had a positive effect on perceived benefit-appeals appropriateness
through the perceived ability to learn. Study 2 demonstrated the positive relationship
between perceived anthropomorphism and perceived hedonic-appeal appropriateness,
with the mediating role of the perceived ability to learn. The results advance the knowledge
about consumer response to online recommenders from the perspective of anthropomorphism
and schema congruity theory. Marketers and consumer organizations are advised on
how to deal with online recommender systems providing benefit and hedonic appeals.