Effects of Virtual Assistant Features on User Experience in Service Settings

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: User Experience With Virtual Assistants in Service Settings

In brief

This study examines how the characteristics and performance of virtual assistants influence user experience in service settings. Approximately 400 adults will interact with virtual assistants presented as avatars, chatbots, or voice assistants in simulated tourism, cultural, retail, or financial service situations. Participants will be exposed to one or more experimental conditions that may differ in features such as communication style, language specificity, anthropomorphism, personalization, type of virtual assistant, level of immersion, or the presence of inaccurate responses or errors. After the interaction, participants will complete questionnaires about their perceptions, emotions, trust, satisfaction, acceptance of recommendations, and intention to use the virtual assistant. During the experimental session, non-invasive methods may be used to measure visual attention and psychophysiological responses. These methods include eye tracking, electrodermal activity, electroencephalography, and automated facial expression analysis. Facial recordings will be used to analyze emotional expressions and will not be used to identify participants. The study does not involve drugs, biological products, medical treatments, diagnostic procedures, or investigational medical devices. Its purpose is to improve scientific understanding of human interaction with artificial intelligence and virtual assistants in service environments.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07666295

Run by

University of Malaga

People needed

400

Starts

2026-09-01

Expected to finish

2028-01-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-24

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adults aged 18 years or older.
• Able to understand the study information and provide informed consent.
• Sufficient proficiency in Spanish to understand the instructions and complete the study questionnaires.
• Able to interact with a computer-based virtual assistant and complete the experimental session.
• Willing to complete the study procedures, which may include questionnaires, eye tracking, electrodermal activity recording, electroencephalography, and facial expression recording.

You may not qualify if…

• Younger than 18 years.
• Unable to understand the study information or provide valid informed consent.
• Insufficient proficiency in Spanish to understand the instructions or complete the questionnaires.
• A visual, hearing, motor, or other condition that prevents completion of the specific experimental task and cannot be accommodated by the study procedures.
• A temporary health condition, discomfort, or technical incompatibility that, according to the study procedures, prevents safe or reliable completion of the experimental session.
• Previous participation in the same experimental protocol, when prior exposure could influence the study outcomes.

Where it is running

• Consumer Behavior Research Laboratory (LICCO), University of Malaga — Málaga, Spain

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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