Creating avatars for technology usage: Context matters

Driving With Agents: Investigating the Influences of Anthropomorphism Level and Physicality of Agents on Drivers' Perceived Control, Trust, and Driving Performance

As technological development is driven by artificial intelligence, many automotive manufacturers have integrated intelligent agents into in-vehicle information systems (IVIS) to create more meaningful interactions. One of the most important decisions in developing agents is how to embody them, because the different ways of embodying agents will significantly affect user perception and performance. This study addressed the issue by investigating the influences of agent embodiments on users in driving contexts. Through a factorial experiment (N = 116), the effects of anthropomorphism level (low vs. high) and physicality (virtual vs. physical presence) on users' trust, perceived control, and driving performance were examined. Results revealed an interaction effect between anthropomorphism level and physicality on both users' perceived control and cognitive trust. Specifically, when encountering high-level anthropomorphized agents, consumers reported lower ratings of trust toward the physically present agent than toward the virtually present one, and this interaction effect was mediated by perceived control. Although no main effects of anthropomorphism level or physicality were found, additional analyses showed that anthropomorphism level significantly improved users' cognitive trust for those unfamiliar with IVIS. No significant differences were found in terms of driving performances. These results indicate the influences of in-vehicle agents' embodiments on drivers' experience.

No Cameras, No Problem: Creating an Inclusive Research-Driven Classroom Environment Using Student-Generated Avatars

Student involvement in distance education has continued to increase over the last decade and has been accelerated by the unplanned transition to remote instruction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Empirical data demonstrate variable levels of student learning and engagement in such environments, including limited use of technologies (e.g., laptop cameras) to interact with peers and course instructors. Consequently, creating accessible and inclusive virtual learning contexts that best promote collaboration and success - whether in lecture or laboratory spaces - can be a challenge. To address these concerns, we developed and evaluated the Researcher Avatar (RA) activity, a brief exercise designed to provide students with the opportunity to depict and describe their identity as a scientific researcher through creation of an avatar. Students then made use of their avatars as their profile pictures on the course videoconferencing platform throughout the duration of the term. Participants (N = 24) who completed the RA activity as part of an online Research Foundations Course at our institution developed avatars that included both stereotypical imagery of scientists (e.g., lab coat) and personal attributes intended to reflect their dedication to science, collegiality, and future career interests. Collectively, participants reported that the activity was valuable in allowing them to "see" and get to know their classmates while likewise offering them the chance to reflect on their own goals as a researcher.

Five pillars for stakeholder analyses in sustainability transformations: The global case of phosphorus

Phosphorus is a critical agricultural nutrient and a major pollutant in waterbodies due to inefficient use. In the form of rock phosphate it is a finite global commodity vulnerable to price shocks and sourcing challenges. Transforming toward sustainable phosphorus management involves local to global stakeholders. Conventional readings of stakeholders may not reflect system complexity leaving it difficult to see stakeholder roles in transformations. We attempt to remedy this issue with a novel stakeholder analysis method based on five qualitative pillars: stakeholder agency, system roles, power and influence, alignment to the problem, and transformational potential. We argue that our approach suits case studies of individual stakeholders, stakeholder groups, and organisations with relationships to sustainability challenges.