Why Fat Interface Characters Are Better e-Health Advisors

Abstract

Abstract.In an experimental setting, we investigated whether body shape similarity between user and interface character affected involvement with, distance towards, as well as intentions to use the character in an e-health context. Users interacted with an interface character with the same (similar) or with a different (dissimilar) body shape as their own. Furthermore, the character's body shape was negatively valenced (heavier than ideal) or positively valenced (same as ideal).In contrast to what one might expect from stereotype research, users perceived non-ideal (fatter) characters as more credible and trustworthy than ideal (slim) characters. Especially users similar in body shape to a non-ideal character felt the least distant towards fatter characters. These users also preferred to use relatively fat characters over slim characters. Considering the increasing amount of overweight people in society, it seems most effective to design interface characters with bodies fatter than in current e-health applications, which often feature slim characters.

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“…Therefore, we designed beautiful and ugly looking interface characters within the Sims2 game environment with which users could actively interact (Van Vugt et al, 2006a). In addition, we designed a web-based application in which users interacted with an interface character in the role of a health advisor (Van Vugt et al, 2006b). With our studies, we aim to provide a more comprehensive understanding of human-character interactions.…”

Maintaining Engagement in Long-Term Interventions With Relational Agents

“…For example, in the Media Equation studies, Reeves and Nass demonstrated that users prefer computers that match them in personality (along the introversion/extroversion dimension based on text messages displayed) compared to computers that do not (Reeves and Nass 1996). Van Vugt, et al, demonstrated that users prefer characters that match them in body shape (van Vugt et al 2006). …”

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