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Scaling up interactive argumentation by providing counterarguments with a chatbot

Author

Listed:
  • Sacha Altay

    (CNRS)

  • Marlène Schwartz

    (CNRS)

  • Anne-Sophie Hacquin

    (CNRS)

  • Aurélien Allard

    (University of Geneva)

  • Stefaan Blancke

    (Tilburg University)

  • Hugo Mercier

    (CNRS)

Abstract

Discussion is more convincing than standard, unidirectional messaging, but its interactive nature makes it difficult to scale up. We created a chatbot to emulate the most important traits of discussion. A simple argument pointing out the existence of a scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) already led to more positive attitudes towards GMOs, compared with a control message. Providing participants with good arguments rebutting the most common counterarguments against GMOs led to much more positive attitudes towards GMOs, whether the participants could immediately see all the arguments or could select the most relevant arguments in a chatbot. Participants holding the most negative attitudes displayed more attitude change in favour of GMOs. Participants updated their beliefs when presented with good arguments, but we found no evidence that an interactive chatbot proves more persuasive than a list of arguments and counterarguments.

Suggested Citation

  • Sacha Altay & Marlène Schwartz & Anne-Sophie Hacquin & Aurélien Allard & Stefaan Blancke & Hugo Mercier, 2022. "Scaling up interactive argumentation by providing counterarguments with a chatbot," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(4), pages 579-592, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:6:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1038_s41562-021-01271-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01271-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tobia Spampatti & Ulf J. J. Hahnel & Evelina Trutnevyte & Tobias Brosch, 2024. "Psychological inoculation strategies to fight climate disinformation across 12 countries," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 380-398, February.

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