Abstract: 

To this date only a few experiments directly examining the situation of communication between human and chatbot were conducted (Barakova 2007; Jenkins et al.,2007; Reeves & Nass, 1996). We are implementing three experimental conditions, depending on the type of entities taking part in the interaction: 1. interaction with people (control group), 2.  interaction with avatars, graphically very similar to humans (experimental group no 1, which by hypothesis should be the least different compared to control), 3. interaction with graphically much less human-like avatar (experimental group no 2). In all experimental conditions, communication takes place via computer, in order to minimize the differences between the conditions of interaction of all groups. Because the study is aimed at the discovery of general laws applicable to all people, we do not foresee any special procedure for the selection of the respondents to the groups, in addition to balancing test in terms of the basic parameters: gender, age, education (similar assumptions are made in choosing judges of the Turing Test). We have 30 people per each experimental group. The groups of participants are asked to talk with the chatbot/human about a specific topic, and later they can engage in a free chat on any subject. Afterwards, the tested groups are asked to assess their interlocutor and fill in a questionnaire to investigate human-chatbot interactions, and we check how many pieces of information were successfully conveyed and what was the quality of the communication. During the experiment, the electrophysiological data is collected  from eyebrow wrinkling muscles (musculus corrugator supercilii) and zygomatic muscles (musculus zygomaticus), in accordance with standard guidelines (Fridlund &Cacioppo, 1986). Additionally, we gather information from ECG, respirometer, and electrodermal activity in order to supplement the qualitative data with affective quantitative data.

Bio: 

PhD in philosophy of artificial intelligence, assistant Professor at Kozminski University, recent visiting scholar at The New School for Social Research/ Brown University in New York City (2014). Currently Research Fellow at the Center for Collective Intelligence at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. In 2011 Aleksandra worked as the Chairman of Audiovisual Working Party at the Council of European Union in Brussels and as an international representative of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. As a William J. Fulbright Scholar Aleksandra also majored in Sociology at The New School for Social Research in New York (2012), where she participated in research on identity in virtual reality, with particular emphasis on Second Life. Aleksandra’s primary research interest include consequences of introducing artificial intelligence systems to people’s social and professional sphere.