ScholarWorks@중앙대학교

초록

AS chatbots are increasingly utilized in organizational–public communication, government agencies have also accelerated their adoption of chatbot services. In this context, the present study aims to explore how specific attributes of government chatbots influence public responses. Specifically, it examines the effects of a chatbot’s profile image and language style on users’ evaluations of the chatbot service and their perceptions of the government agency—namely, mutuality, openness, and innovativeness. A 3 × 2 experiment was conducted, manipulating profile image type (robot vs. human vs. logo) and language style (formal vs. informal). The results revealed a significant interaction effect on perceived openness. However, no significant differences were found for the other dependent variables. These findings suggest that, unlike in the private sector, the unique communicative context of government agencies— where formality and authority are emphasized—may shape how citizens perceive chatbots. Some theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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