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Preference for Combining or Separating Events in Human and Avatar Decisions

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Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 277))

Abstract

According to the Renewable Resources Model people have limited emotional resource capacity for making decisions. As a result people have a general preference for spreading outcome events over time (Linville and Fisher (1991). This study examines whether the introduction of avatars will alleviate limited emotional resources and result in increased preference for combining events. This hypothesis was tested using a 2x2 factorial between subjects design which systematically manipulated the decision outcome (gains versus losses) and avatar use (avatar mediated versus non avatar mediated decisions). Preferences for combining or separating positive and negative emotional impactful events were measured using choice problems of Linville and Fischer (1991). Results show a replication of Linville and Fisher (1991) but only in the non avatar condition. In contrast, in the avatar condition a significant increase of preference for combining events was observed as predicted. The results give support for the Renewable Resource Model.

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Roelofsma, P.H.M.P., Versteeg, L. (2012). Preference for Combining or Separating Events in Human and Avatar Decisions. In: Wichert, R., Van Laerhoven, K., Gelissen, J. (eds) Constructing Ambient Intelligence. AmI 2011. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 277. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31479-7_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31479-7_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-31478-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-31479-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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