探討虛擬代言人、自我指涉訊息、與產品連結對消費者態度之影響－平衡理論觀點

Abstract

網路商店可藉虛擬代言人（avatar）提供產品資訊給消費者，以尋求更多的商機。虛擬代言人不同於真人代言，是由電腦動畫技術產生的虛擬角色。本研究應用平衡理論（Heider, 1958），探討虛擬代言人、自我指涉的訊息以及增加虛擬代言人與產品的正面連結，來探索消費者態度受到的影響。並運用實驗設計、網路問卷調查法，收集有效樣本1,137份。研究結果顯示：虛擬代言人和產品間的連結以及自我指涉訊息皆能增加消費者對產品正面態度的程度。消費者若對產品持負面態度而對虛擬代言人持正面態度，網站經營者藉自我指涉訊息、虛擬代言人與產品正面緊密連結，以及高涉入下採用專家型虛擬代言人可使消費者原本對產品的負面態度轉為正面。然而消費者若對虛擬代言人持負面態度而對產品持正面態度，網路業者縱使採上述方式，僅能緩和消費者對虛擬代言人之負面態度，無法由負面轉為正面。若消費者涉入高，專家型角色比吸引型角色更能增加消費者對於產品或虛擬代言人的正面態度的程度。若消費者涉入低，代言人角色不論是專家型還是吸引型，對消費者態度影響無顯著差異。本文最後提實務意涵與應用。

Web-based retailers may adopt avatars to deliver rich product information. An avatar is a graphic representation that is animated by computer graphic technology. According to the literature, we design 2 types of avatar (expert and attractive role) in this study. Experimental design and online survey are used to test the hypotheses. In total, 1,137 questionnaires were collected and valid. The research result is as follows: both the link between the avatar and the product and self-referential message increase the extent of the positive attitude of the consumer to products. On the condition that consumer has negative attitude toward the product and has positive attitude toward the avatar. An internet corporate can change the consumers' attitude toward the product from negative to positive by the methods of the self-referential message, the link between the avatar and the product, and expert type of avatar on the consumer's high involvement condition. However, on the condition that consumer has positive attitude toward product and has negative attitude toward the avatar, an internet corporate can only lessen the consumer's negative attitude toward the avatar, and fail to change the consumers' attitude toward avatar from negative to positive by above methods. In the case of consumer involvement in high, the avatar's role of the expert can increase more consumers' positive attitude toward the avatar and the product than the avatar's role of the attractive. In the case of consumer involvement in low, avatar's role, whether expert or attract type, there is no significant difference in impact on consumer attitudes. This article concludes practical implications and applications finally.