Virtual Agent Locus of Control: Cognitive Assistance for Older Consumers’ Online Shopping

Abstract

<p>Virtual agents have been shown to alleviate older consumers’ social barriers to e-commerce participation through increasing their perceptions of social support and trust (Chattaraman et al., 2012) and enjoyment (Kwon et al., 2010). Besides the social assistance, virtual agents also have the potential to provide cognitive assistance to older consumers who tend to experience declines in cognitive abilities such as perceptual speed, working memory, and attention (Czaja et al., 2001).</p>