Effects of Virtual Humans’ Gender and Spoken Accent on Users’ Perceptions of Expertise in Mental Wellness Conversations Title

Pedro G. Feijóo-García; M. Zalake; A G. de Siqueira; Benjamin C Lok; Felix G. Hamza-Lup

doi:10.1145/3472306.3478367

Effects of Virtual Humans’ Gender and Spoken Accent on Users’ Perceptions of Expertise in Mental Wellness Conversations Title

Pedro G. Feijóo-García, M. Zalake, A G. de Siqueira, Benjamin C Lok, Felix G. Hamza-Lup

Computer Science

University of Florida

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In the context of mental wellness support, trust and intimacy between a counselor and a patient are necessary to converge healing processes positively. However, convincing students to trust a virtual human for topics regarding mental wellness is a complex problem that requires understanding students' experiences. Based on research that discusses mental health as a concerning topic regarding Computer Science (CS) students, this paper investigates how undergraduate computing-related students perceive virtual humans' expertise on mental wellness support based on demographic resemblance on spoken accent and gender. Four virtual human counselors were developed to conduct the study, as 58 undergraduate computing-related students from two North American universities were recruited and assessed. Our findings suggest that students were less inclined to interact with a male virtual human than a female one. Also, that spoken accents can impact students' perceptions of expertise under students' multilingualism.

Original language	American English
Journal	ACM Intelligent Virtual Agents
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3472306.3478367
State	Published - Sep 14 2021

Disciplines

Computer Sciences
Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence
Computer Science
Intelligent Agents
Mental Wellness
Virtual Humans

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1145/3472306.3478367License: Unspecified

Cite this

@article{df856035d08240f58484278127363636,

title = "Effects of Virtual Humans{\textquoteright} Gender and Spoken Accent on Users{\textquoteright} Perceptions of Expertise in Mental Wellness Conversations Title",

abstract = " In the context of mental wellness support, trust and intimacy between a counselor and a patient are necessary to converge healing processes positively. However, convincing students to trust a virtual human for topics regarding mental wellness is a complex problem that requires understanding students' experiences. Based on research that discusses mental health as a concerning topic regarding Computer Science (CS) students, this paper investigates how undergraduate computing-related students perceive virtual humans' expertise on mental wellness support based on demographic resemblance on spoken accent and gender. Four virtual human counselors were developed to conduct the study, as 58 undergraduate computing-related students from two North American universities were recruited and assessed. Our findings suggest that students were less inclined to interact with a male virtual human than a female one. Also, that spoken accents can impact students' perceptions of expertise under students' multilingualism. ",

keywords = "Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Intelligent Agents, Mental Wellness, Virtual Humans",

author = "Feij{\'o}o-Garc{\'i}a, {Pedro G.} and M. Zalake and {de Siqueira}, {A G.} and Lok, {Benjamin C} and Hamza-Lup, {Felix G.}",

note = "Editorial Notes The authors have requested minor, non-substantive changes to the VoR and, in accordance with ACM policies, a Corrected VoR was published on September 29, 2021. For reference purposes the VoR may still be accessed via the Supplemental Material section on this page.",

year = "2021",

month = sep,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1145/3472306.3478367",

language = "American English",

journal = "ACM Intelligent Virtual Agents",

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T1 - Effects of Virtual Humans’ Gender and Spoken Accent on Users’ Perceptions of Expertise in Mental Wellness Conversations Title

AU - Feijóo-García, Pedro G.

AU - Zalake, M.

AU - de Siqueira, A G.

AU - Lok, Benjamin C

AU - Hamza-Lup, Felix G.

N1 - Editorial Notes The authors have requested minor, non-substantive changes to the VoR and, in accordance with ACM policies, a Corrected VoR was published on September 29, 2021. For reference purposes the VoR may still be accessed via the Supplemental Material section on this page.

PY - 2021/9/14

Y1 - 2021/9/14

N2 - In the context of mental wellness support, trust and intimacy between a counselor and a patient are necessary to converge healing processes positively. However, convincing students to trust a virtual human for topics regarding mental wellness is a complex problem that requires understanding students' experiences. Based on research that discusses mental health as a concerning topic regarding Computer Science (CS) students, this paper investigates how undergraduate computing-related students perceive virtual humans' expertise on mental wellness support based on demographic resemblance on spoken accent and gender. Four virtual human counselors were developed to conduct the study, as 58 undergraduate computing-related students from two North American universities were recruited and assessed. Our findings suggest that students were less inclined to interact with a male virtual human than a female one. Also, that spoken accents can impact students' perceptions of expertise under students' multilingualism.

AB - In the context of mental wellness support, trust and intimacy between a counselor and a patient are necessary to converge healing processes positively. However, convincing students to trust a virtual human for topics regarding mental wellness is a complex problem that requires understanding students' experiences. Based on research that discusses mental health as a concerning topic regarding Computer Science (CS) students, this paper investigates how undergraduate computing-related students perceive virtual humans' expertise on mental wellness support based on demographic resemblance on spoken accent and gender. Four virtual human counselors were developed to conduct the study, as 58 undergraduate computing-related students from two North American universities were recruited and assessed. Our findings suggest that students were less inclined to interact with a male virtual human than a female one. Also, that spoken accents can impact students' perceptions of expertise under students' multilingualism.

KW - Artificial Intelligence

KW - Computer Science

KW - Intelligent Agents

KW - Mental Wellness

KW - Virtual Humans

UR - https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3472306.3478367

U2 - 10.1145/3472306.3478367

DO - 10.1145/3472306.3478367

M3 - Article

JO - ACM Intelligent Virtual Agents

JF - ACM Intelligent Virtual Agents

ER -

Effects of Virtual Humans’ Gender and Spoken Accent on Users’ Perceptions of Expertise in Mental Wellness Conversations Title

Abstract

Disciplines

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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