{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7085642663","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","title":"Laugh away the awkwardness: how chatbot humor can relieve embarrassment in sensitive retail interactions","display_name":"Laugh away the awkwardness: how chatbot humor can relieve embarrassment in sensitive retail interactions","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-10-08","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7085642663","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S45224653","display_name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","issn_l":"2040-7122","issn":["2040-7122","2040-7130"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["abdc-b","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-70","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319811","host_organization_name":"Emerald Publishing Limited","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319811"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Emerald Publishing Limited"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5112656273","display_name":"Xiangdong Shen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2794-2412","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2794-2412"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I21741975","display_name":"Suzhou University of Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/05g6ben79","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I21741975"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I66867065","display_name":"East China Normal University","ror":"https://ror.org/02n96ep67","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I66867065"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xiangdong Shen","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Business, Changshu Institute of Technology , ,","The School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University , ,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Business, Changshu Institute of Technology , ,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I21741975"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"The School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University , ,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I66867065"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5132549231","display_name":"Mingli Huang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4329-561X","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4329-561X"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I146655781","display_name":"University of Liverpool","ror":"https://ror.org/04xs57h96","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I146655781"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mingli Huang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Management School, University of Liverpool , ,"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4329-561X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Management School, University of Liverpool , ,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I146655781"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":3,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.4079,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":1,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.69256292,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":90,"max":94},"biblio":{"volume":"20","issue":"6","first_page":"869","last_page":"885"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":true,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12128","display_name":"AI in Service Interactions","score":0.9937000274658203,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12128","display_name":"AI in Service Interactions","score":0.9937000274658203,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11795","display_name":"Humor Studies and Applications","score":0.005200000014156103,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10609","display_name":"Digital Marketing and Social Media","score":0.0006000000284984708,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3312","display_name":"Sociology and Political Science"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embarrassment","display_name":"embarrassment","score":0.7139999866485596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sensitive-products","display_name":"sensitive products","score":0.5270000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/online-retail","display_name":"online retail","score":0.6639999747276306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/consumer-attitudes","display_name":"consumer attitudes","score":0.6140000224113464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ai-chatbots","display_name":"AI chatbots","score":0.7210000157356262}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779041454","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q870780","display_name":"Chatbot","level":2,"score":0.8650000095367432},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776716606","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1761451","display_name":"Embarrassment","level":2,"score":0.7260000109672546},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C122980154","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205555","display_name":"Feeling","level":2,"score":0.6539000272750854},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.6290000081062317},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112698675","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q37038","display_name":"Advertising","level":1,"score":0.5622000098228455},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C23213687","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q301468","display_name":"Consumer behaviour","level":2,"score":0.4887000024318695},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776035688","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1606558","display_name":"Affect (linguistics)","level":2,"score":0.41749998927116394},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777267654","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3519023","display_name":"Test (biology)","level":2,"score":0.3695000112056732},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26760741","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160402","display_name":"Perception","level":2,"score":0.335999995470047},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.3343000113964081},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2985250679","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q984142","display_name":"Customer experience","level":2,"score":0.3262999951839447},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110875604","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q75","display_name":"The Internet","level":2,"score":0.27649998664855957},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137913393","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15737157","display_name":"Word of mouth","level":2,"score":0.2752000093460083},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777200299","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q52943","display_name":"Conversation","level":2,"score":0.2727999985218048},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162853370","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q39809","display_name":"Marketing","level":1,"score":0.26820001006126404},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C90673727","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q901718","display_name":"Product (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.2531999945640564},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2983409430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7935065","display_name":"Virtual agent","level":2,"score":0.2531000077724457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98825075","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q485643","display_name":"Customer relationship management","level":2,"score":0.25119999051094055}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2025-0151","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S45224653","display_name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","issn_l":"2040-7122","issn":["2040-7122","2040-7130"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["abdc-b","anvur-scientific","cwts-core","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-70","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319811","host_organization_name":"Emerald Publishing Limited","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319811"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Emerald Publishing Limited"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"sustainable_development_goals_aurora":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G4082197551","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"2020SJA1408","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320324207","funder_display_name":"Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320324207","display_name":"Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education","ror":"https://ror.org/059md9404"}],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":43,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1535618892","https://openalex.org/W2050314830","https://openalex.org/W2081696973","https://openalex.org/W2087484885","https://openalex.org/W2131227926","https://openalex.org/W2177092642","https://openalex.org/W2327096490","https://openalex.org/W2544445083","https://openalex.org/W2773084466","https://openalex.org/W2793884159","https://openalex.org/W2794124239","https://openalex.org/W2794221642","https://openalex.org/W2904164694","https://openalex.org/W2946638708","https://openalex.org/W2950279184","https://openalex.org/W2966117023","https://openalex.org/W3088207173","https://openalex.org/W3102980059","https://openalex.org/W3128808979","https://openalex.org/W3129552974","https://openalex.org/W3158750025","https://openalex.org/W3184873564","https://openalex.org/W3195633436","https://openalex.org/W3199674596","https://openalex.org/W4200045082","https://openalex.org/W4206937552","https://openalex.org/W4224917915","https://openalex.org/W4281622112","https://openalex.org/W4313256907","https://openalex.org/W4372287310","https://openalex.org/W4384037131","https://openalex.org/W4386099316","https://openalex.org/W4391470226","https://openalex.org/W4391837671","https://openalex.org/W4392553557","https://openalex.org/W4392881666","https://openalex.org/W4402809890","https://openalex.org/W4403509480","https://openalex.org/W4403981864","https://openalex.org/W4405204357","https://openalex.org/W4406771933","https://openalex.org/W4408367234","https://openalex.org/W4410822377"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Purpose":[0],"While":[1],"humor":[2,26,46,97,118,129,143,181,203],"has":[3],"been":[4],"studied":[5],"extensively":[6],"in":[7,27,51,79,166,190],"marketing,":[8],"its":[9],"effectiveness":[10],"may":[11],"vary":[12],"based":[13],"on":[14,81],"the":[15,66,158,168,177],"situation.":[16],"One":[17],"critical":[18],"understudied":[19],"purchase":[20],"scenario":[21],"is":[22,144],"how":[23,44],"to":[24,33,42,64,73,107,128,185],"use":[25],"customer":[28,102],"interactions":[29,47,80,184],"for":[30,104,147],"embarrassing":[31,82,105,137,172],"products":[32,106,138,149,188],"achieve":[34],"optimal":[35],"retail":[36,53],"outcomes.":[37],"Hence,":[38],"our":[39],"research":[40,175,196],"aims":[41],"explore":[43],"chatbot":[45,202],"affect":[48],"consumer":[49,71],"responses":[50,72],"such":[52],"scenarios.":[54],"Design/methodology/approach":[55],"Four":[56],"experimental":[57],"studies":[58,155],"(n":[59],"=":[60],"1,295)":[61],"were":[62,85],"conducted":[63],"test":[65],"hypotheses":[67],"empirically":[68],"and":[69,150],"examine":[70],"using":[74,95,111],"humorous":[75,161],"messages":[76,119,130],"by":[77],"chatbots":[78,165],"products.":[83,173],"Data":[84],"collected":[86],"via":[87],"Credamo.":[88],"Findings":[89],"Consumers":[90],"prefer":[91],"a":[92,96,108,112],"chat":[93,109],"agent":[94,110],"message":[98],"when":[99],"inquiring":[100],"about":[101],"preferences":[103],"no-humor":[113],"message.":[114],"This":[115,174],"occurs":[116],"because":[117],"relieve":[120],"consumers'":[121],"feelings":[122],"of":[123,160,171,179,201],"embarrassment.":[124],"Specifically,":[125],"consumers":[126],"exposed":[127],"expressed":[131],"significantly":[132],"more":[133],"favorable":[134],"attitudes":[135],"towards":[136],"with":[139],"hedonic":[140],"advertising,":[141],"while":[142],"less":[145],"effective":[146],"non-embarrassing":[148],"utilitarian":[151],"advertising.":[152],"Originality/value":[153],"Few":[154],"have":[156],"explored":[157],"role":[159],"artificial":[162],"intelligence":[163],"(AI)":[164],"facilitating":[167],"online":[169,191],"sale":[170],"highlights":[176],"importance":[178],"incorporating":[180],"into":[182],"consumer\u2013chatbot":[183],"market":[186],"sensitive":[187],"effectively":[189],"retailing.":[192],"In":[193],"addition,":[194],"this":[195],"also":[197],"identifies":[198],"boundary":[199],"conditions":[200],"interaction.":[204]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-10-16T09:59:22.235173","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}