Katrin Etzrodt

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Papers by Katrin Etzrodt

Trustworthiness of voice-based assistants: integrating interlocutor and intermediary predictors

Publizistik

When intelligent voice-based assistants (VBAs) present news, they simultaneously act as interlocu... more When intelligent voice-based assistants (VBAs) present news, they simultaneously act as interlocutors and intermediaries, enabling direct and mediated communication. Hence, this study discusses and investigates empirically how interlocutor and intermediary predictors affect an assessment that is relevant for both: trustworthiness. We conducted a secondary analysis using data from two online surveys in which participants (N = 1288) had seven quasi-interactions with either Alexa or Google Assistant and calculated hierarchical regression analyses. Results show that (1) interlocutor and intermediary predictors influence people’s trustworthiness assessments when VBAs act as news presenters, and (2) that different trustworthiness dimensions are affected differently: The intermediary predictors (information credibility; company reputation) were more important for the cognition-based trustworthiness dimensions integrity and competence. In contrast, intermediary and interlocutor predictors (...

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Human-machine-communication: introduction to the special issue

Publizistik

The natural point of departure for an editorial of a special issue on Human-Machine Communication... more The natural point of departure for an editorial of a special issue on Human-Machine Communication (HMC) is the question of what HMC is. Addressing this question is not an easy task, as it is inherently linked to the more fundamental and general question of what communication is. The definition of communication, in turn, shapes the identity of an entire scholarly field and is thus subject to a vibrant and continuous debate. We do not aim at intensifying or complicating this debate but rather at providing an operational definition of HMC, which is merely supposed to serve as a framework for the special issue.

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The third party will make a difference — A study on the impact of dyadic and triadic social situations on the relationship with a voice-based personal agent

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies

Undifferentiated optimism and scandalized accidents: the media coverage of autonomous driving in Germany

Journal of Science Communication

When, to what extent and under what conditions autonomous driving will become common practice dep... more When, to what extent and under what conditions autonomous driving will become common practice depends not only on the level of technical development but also on social acceptance. Therefore, the rapid development of autonomous driving systems raises the question of how the public perceives this technology. As the mass media are regarded as the main source of information for the lay audience, the news coverage is assumed to affect public opinion. The mass media are also frequently criticized for their inaccurate and biased news coverage. Against this backdrop, we conducted a content analysis of the news coverage of autonomous driving in five leading German newspapers. Findings show that media reporting on autonomous driving is not very detailed. They also indicate a slight positive bias in the balance of arguments and tonality. However, as soon as an accident involving an autonomous vehicle occurs, the frequency of reporting, as well as the extent of negativity and detail increase. W...

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Transparency for Bystanders in IoT regarding audiovisual Recordings

2022 IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops and other Affiliated Events (PerCom Workshops)

Social Research with Gender-Neutral Voices in Chatbots – The Generation and Evaluation of Artificial Gender-Neutral Voices with Praat and Google WaveNet

Chatbot Research and Design, 2022

Artificial voice generation enables the creation of gender-neutral voice-based chatbots, such as ... more Artificial voice generation enables the creation of gender-neutral voice-based chatbots, such as “Q”, and with this, new possibilities for social scientists to investigate effects of gender in chatbots on users. However, for this research, gender-neutral and matching male and female voices are necessary. This paper aims to match this need by providing a method for the creation of acoustically gender-neutral voices which can serve as a base for further investigation. The method requires less technical knowledge than most other approaches while, at the same time, theoretical assumptions about gender perception and neutrality can be modeled into the voices. Specifically, fundamental frequency and formant frequencies are outlined as major influences and subsequently included in voice production. In addition, an efficient two-step test for assessing gender perception is demonstrated. Applied to the produced voices, the test proved to be successful in determining gender-neutral variants. In sum, the paper shows that the production method and underlying theory are suited to create gender-neutral voices as well as matching male and female variants.

Wann ist die Nutzung von Sexrobotern angemessen?

Voice-Based Agents as Personified Things: Assimilation and Accommodation as Equilibration of Doubt

Human-Machine Communication, 2021

We aim to investigate the nature of doubt regarding voice-based agents by referring to Piaget’s o... more We aim to investigate the nature of doubt regarding voice-based agents by referring to Piaget’s ontological object–subject classification “thing” and “person,” its associated equilibration processes, and influential factors of the situation, the user, and the agent. In two online surveys, we asked 853 and 435 participants, ranging from 17 to 65 years of age, to assess Alexa and the Google Assistant. We discovered that only some people viewed voice-based agents as mere things, whereas the majority classified them into personified things. However, their classification is fragile and depends basically on the imputation of subject-like attributes of agency and mind to the voice-based agents, increased by a dyadic using situation, previous regular interactions, a younger age, and an introverted personality of the user. We discuss these results in a broader context.

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Ubiquitous tools, connected things and intelligent agents: Disentangling the terminology and revealing underlying theoretical dimensions

First Monday, 2019

Research on the social implications of technological developments is highly relevant. However, a ... more Research on the social implications of technological developments is highly relevant. However, a broader comprehension of current innovations and their underlying theoretical frameworks is limited by their rapid evolution, as well as a plethora of different terms and definitions. The terminology used to describe current innovations varies significantly among disciplines, such as social sciences and computer sciences. This article contributes to systematic and cross-disciplinary research on current technological applications in everyday life by identifying the most relevant concepts (i.e., Ubiquitous Computing, Internet of Things, Smart Objects and Environments, Ambient Environments and Artificial Intelligence) and relating them to each other. Key questions, core aspects, similarities and differences are identified. Theoretically disentangling terminology results in four distinct analytical dimensions (connectivity, invisibility, awareness, and agency) that facilitate and address soc...

Ubiquität und Medienkonvergenz – Informationsselektion in verschwindenden und verschmelzenden Medien

Social Media in der Lebenswelt und bei der Berufswahl Jugendlicher - Who cares?, 2016

ABSTRACT Wer sich heutzutage informieren will, hat eine Vielzahl an Möglichkeiten zur Auswahl. Ne... more ABSTRACT Wer sich heutzutage informieren will, hat eine Vielzahl an Möglichkeiten zur Auswahl. Neben herkömmlichen Medien wie Fernsehen, Radio und Zeitung, stehen digitale und vernetzte Medien zur Verfügung, die um soziale und interaktive Merkmale erweitert sind. Eine Konse-quenz der Diffusion digitaler Technologien in die Gesellschaft ist das Verschmelzen der Grenzen zwischen digitalen und herkömmlichen Medienformen und -inhalten, wobei her-kömmliche Inhalte in digitale Angebote übertragen werden und vice versa, wodurch sie neue Qualitäten erhalten. Im Bereich sozialer Medien entstehen zudem auch neue Formen wie Blogs, Instant-Messenger oder Soziale Onlinenetzwerke. Eine bisher weniger beachtete Fol-ge neuerer Entwicklungen ist die Tatsache, dass Medien an sich immer weniger wahrnehm-bar werden. Mit wachsender Bezahlbarkeit der Geräte wandern sie zunehmend in die Haus-halte ein und werden zum „täglichen Begleiter für alle möglichen Fragen und Themen“, wo-bei besonders die jüngeren Altersgruppen eine treibende Rolle spielen, aber auch ältere Ge-nerationen langsam aufholen (van Eimeren &amp; Frees, 2012: 365). Durch die zunehmende mobile Nutzung des Internet bzw. internetfähiger Endgeräte (z.B. ebd.: 366, ähnliche Ergeb-nisse z.B. Zickuhr &amp; Smith, 2012: 15) kommt es zu einer Integration dieser Medien in alltägli-ches Handeln, aber auch in Alltagsgegenstände und -routinen. Dadurch werden deren tech-nologischen Grundlagen stetig schwerer wahrnehmbar. Der vorliegende Beitrag nimmt eine handlungstheoretische Perspektive ein, da wir davon ausgehen, dass die sich wandelnde Mediensituation, vor allem hinsichtlich der Verschmel-zung sowie des Verschwindens von Kommunikations- und Informationstechnologien (KuI-Technologien) zu einer veränderten subjektiven Situationsdefinition führt, was sich wieder-rum in den Selektionsentscheidungen der Individuen niederschlägt (vgl. Esser 1999). Digita-lisierung und technologische Entwicklung führen dazu, dass Informationen fast überall und zu jeder Zeit generier- und erreichbar sind, damit jedoch ebenfalls eine deutlich kürzere Halbwertszeit besitzen. Selektionsentscheidungen betreffen nun eine Fülle an mehr oder weniger flüchtigen Informationen, deren Relevanz und Nutzen evaluiert werden müssen. Wenn KuI-Technologien jedoch immer mehr miteinander verschmelzen und zusätzlich un-sichtbarer werden, sind auch die zugrunde liegenden Strukturen und Mechanismen weniger eindeutig wahrnehmbar. Damit stellen sich die Fragen, auf welche Weise Informationen in konvergenten und ubiquitären Mediensystemen ausgewählt und verarbeitet werden, aber auch, auf welchen Kenntnissen diese Prozesse überhaupt basieren können.

Informationsbezogene Mediennutzung Jugendlicher und Senioren in (Online-)Communities

ABSTRACT Präsentation des gleichnamigen Artikels.

Mediale Geschlechterkonstruktion online und mögliche Ursachen. Eine Inhaltsanalyse der journalistischen

Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 2014

Berichterstattung konstruiert werden, wobei der Fokus auf thematischer Kontextuierung und Attribu... more Berichterstattung konstruiert werden, wobei der Fokus auf thematischer Kontextuierung und Attribuierung liegt. Zu diesem Zweck werden verschiedene Einflussfaktoren auf die mediale Geschlechterkonstruktion diskutiert und veränderte Rahmenbedingungen des Online-Journalismus für die Geschlechterkonstruktion einbezogen. Empirisch wird die Konstruktion von Politikerinnen und Politikern in den fünf reichweitenstärksten deutschen Online-Zeitungen über ein Jahr hinweg vergleichend analysiert und mit möglichen Einflussfaktoren verknüpft. Die Befunde zeigen, dass die untersuchten Online-Zeitungen das Geschlecht von Politikerinnen und Politikern bezüglich der untersuchten Aspekte kaum unterschiedlich konstruieren. Sofern solche Unterschiede existieren, sind sie eher auf das Geschlecht von Journalistinnen und Journalisten zurückzuführen als auf die redaktionelle Linie der Online-Zeitung.

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Gender Ambiguity in Voice-Based Assistants: Gender Perception and Influences of Context

Human machine communication journal, Dec 18, 2022

Recently emerging synthetic acoustically gender-ambiguous voices could contribute to dissolving t... more Recently emerging synthetic acoustically gender-ambiguous voices could contribute to dissolving the still prevailing genderism. Yet, are we indeed perceiving these voices as "unassignable"? Or are we trying to assimilate them into existing genders? To investigate the perceived ambiguity, we conducted an explorative 3 (male, female, ambiguous voice) × 3 (male, female, ambiguous topic) experiment (N = 343). We found that, although participants perceived the gender-ambiguous voice as ambiguous, they used a profoundly wide range of the scale, indicating tendencies toward a gender. We uncovered a mild dissolve of gender roles. Neither the listener's gender nor the personal gender stereotypes impacted the perception. However, the perceived topic gender indicated the perceived voice gender, and younger people tended to perceive a more male-like gender.

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