The Effects of Response Time on Older and Young Adults’ Interaction Experience with Chatbot

Abstract

Background:Chatbots, text-based systems such as Siri, Alexa, and ChatGPT, have been integrated into various domains, serving roles from customer service to personal companionship. These systems have significantly transformed human-computer interactions. However, there remains a lack of clarity on how their interaction dynamics, especially response time, affect user satisfaction across populations of different ages. Methods: This study examines the impact of chatbot response times on user experiences, focusing on differences between older and younger adults. Our investigation involved 160 Taiwanese participants, divided into young and older adults, interacting with chatbots under two conditions: instant and delayed response times. The study aimed to assess the impact of response time on user experience, compare interaction experiences across age groups, and explore age-related preferences in response times. Results: Results revealed a general preference for instant responses across both groups, associated with higher user satisfaction. However, older adults displayed a notable preference for delayed responses, contrasting with the younger cohort's inclination towards immediacy. This suggests a need for adaptive chatbot designs, considering varied user expectations and preferences, especially in an aging society. Conclusions: This study provides key advantages in understanding chatbot interactions, it sheds light on the critical role of response time in user satisfaction, revealing how different age groups perceive and interact with chatbots, this may help set a foundation for further exploration of chatbots in more global and diverse aspects.