From Inquiry to Interaction : Evaluating Interaction Styles of AI-Based Conversational Agents

Title data

Hofbauer, Sophia ; Gimpel, Henner ; Lämmermann, Luis ; Markgraf, Moritz:
From Inquiry to Interaction : Evaluating Interaction Styles of AI-Based Conversational Agents.
In: International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. (March 2026) .
ISSN 1532-7590
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2026.2639667

Official URL:

Abstract in another language

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have enhanced conversational agents (CAs), enabling more sophisticated and agentic interactions beyond simple question-answer formats. Emerging nonlinear and non-deterministic interaction designs influence user experience, yet their effects on user satisfaction remain unclear. This study examines how different CA interaction designs affect user satisfaction and perceived information gain. We conducted an online experiment simulating a vacation planning process supported by a CA. Five CA designs, each based on a large language model and differing in interaction style, were developed to test our hypotheses. Results show that users report the highest satisfaction and perceived information gain when CAs provide swift, clear answers while preserving user control throughout the conversation. The findings contribute to theory by clarifying how interaction design shapes user outcomes and offer practical guidelines for developing responsive, user-centered conversational agents.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Refereed:	Yes
Keywords:	Generative AI; chatbot; conversational agent; human-AI interaction; experiment
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Law, Business and Economics > Department of Business Administration Research Institutions Research Institutions > Affiliated Institutes Research Institutions > Affiliated Institutes > Branch Business and Information Systems Engineering of Fraunhofer FIT Research Institutions > Affiliated Institutes > FIM Research Center for Information Management
Result of work at the UBT:	No
DDC Subjects:	000 Computer Science, information, general works > 004 Computer science 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics
Date Deposited:	30 Mar 2026 07:22
Last Modified:	30 Mar 2026 07:22
URI:	https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/96687