Exploring the Impact of Non-Verbal Virtual Agent Behavior on User Engagement in Argumentative Dialogues

TL;DR

This study examines how non-verbal behaviors, like co-speech gestures, of virtual agents affect user engagement and perception during argumentative dialogues, highlighting their importance in designing effective cooperative virtual agents.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the impact of co-speech gestures on user engagement in argumentative interactions, informing future virtual agent design.

Findings

Co-speech gestures significantly increase user engagement.

Participants found gesture-enabled agents more interesting.

Gesture presence improved overall system perception.

Abstract

Engaging in discussions that involve diverse perspectives and exchanging arguments on a controversial issue is a natural way for humans to form opinions. In this process, the way arguments are presented plays a crucial role in determining how engaged users are, whether the interaction takes place solely among humans or within human-agent teams. This is of great importance as user engagement plays a crucial role in determining the success or failure of cooperative argumentative discussions. One main goal is to maintain the user's motivation to participate in a reflective opinion-building process, even when addressing contradicting viewpoints. This work investigates how non-verbal agent behavior, specifically co-speech gestures, influences the user's engagement and interest during an ongoing argumentative interaction. The results of a laboratory study conducted with 56 participants demonstrate that the agent's co-speech gestures have a substantial impact on user engagement and interest and the overall perception of the system. Therefore, this research offers valuable insights for the design of future cooperative argumentative virtual agents.