An increasing number of firms introduce service robots, such as physical robots and virtual chatbots, to provide services to customers. While some firms use robots that resemble human beings by looking and acting humanlike to increase customers’ use intention of this technology, others employ machinelike robots to avoid uncanny valley effects, assuming that very humanlike robots may induce feelings of eeriness. There is no consensus in the service literature regarding whether customers’ anthropomorphism of robots facilitates or constrains their use intention. The present meta-analysis synthesizes data from 11,053 individuals interacting with service robots reported in 108 independent samples. The study synthesizes previous research to clarify this issue and enhance understanding of the construct. We develop a comprehensive model to investigate relationships between anthropomorphism and its antecedents and consequences. Customer traits and predispositions (e.g., computer anxiety), sociodemographics (e.g., gender), and robot design features (e.g., physical, nonphysical) are identified as triggers of anthropomorphism. Robot characteristics (e.g., intelligence) and functional characteristics (e.g., usefulness) are identified as important mediators, although relational characteristics (e.g., rapport) receive less support as mediators. The findings clarify contextual circumstances in which anthropomorphism impacts customer intention to use a robot. The moderator analysis indicates that the impact depends on robot type (i.e., robot gender) and service type (i.e., possession-processing service, mental stimulus-processing service). Based on these findings, we develop a comprehensive agenda for future research on service robots in marketing.

中文翻译：

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理解服务提供中的拟人化：对物理机器人、聊天机器人和其他人工智能的元分析

越来越多的公司引入服务机器人，例如物理机器人和虚拟聊天机器人，为客户提供服务。一些公司使用与人类相似的机器人来增加客户对这项技术的使用意愿，而另一些公司则使用类似机器的机器人来避免恐怖谷效应，假设非常人性化的机器人可能会引起怪异的感觉。关于客户对机器人的拟人化是促进还是限制了他们的使用意图，服务文献中没有达成共识。本荟萃分析综合了 108 个独立样本中报告的 11,053 名与服务机器人交互的个人的数据。该研究综合了先前的研究，以澄清这个问题并增强对构念的理解。我们开发了一个综合模型来研究拟人化与其前因和后果之间的关系。客户特征和倾向（例如，计算机焦虑）、社会人口统计学（例如，性别）和机器人设计特征（例如，物理的、非物理的）被确定为拟人化的触发因素。机器人特性（例如，智力）和功能特性（例如，有用性）被确定为重要的中介，尽管关系特性（例如，融洽关系）作为中介获得的支持较少。研究结果阐明了拟人化影响客户使用机器人意图的上下文环境。主持人分析表明，影响取决于机器人类型（即机器人性别）和服务类型（即占有加工服务、精神刺激加工服务）。