What is beautiful is good: attractive avatars for healthier dining and satisfaction
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 25 March 2024
Abstract
Purpose
As technology increasingly integrates into the restaurant industry, avatar servers present a promising avenue for promoting healthier dining habits. Grounded in the halo effect theory and social comparison theory, this study aims to delve into the influence of avatars' appearance, humor and persuasion on healthier choices and customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper comprises three experimental studies. Study 1 manipulates avatar appearance (supermodel-looking vs normal-looking) to examine its effects on perceived attractiveness, warmth and relatability. These factors influence customer satisfaction and healthy food choices through the psychological mechanisms of social comparison and aspirational appeal. Studies 2 and 3 further refine this theoretical model by assessing the interplay of appearance with humor (presence vs absence) and persuasion (health-oriented vs beauty-oriented), respectively.
Findings
Results suggest that avatars resembling supermodels evoke stronger aspirational appeal and positive social comparison due to their attractiveness, thus bolstering healthier choices and customer satisfaction. Moreover, humor moderates the relationship between appearance and attractiveness, while persuasion moderates the effects of appearance on social comparison and aspirational appeal.
Research limitations/implications
This research bridges the halo effect theory and social comparison theory, offering insights enriching the academic discourse on technology’s role in hospitality.
Practical implications
The findings provide actionable insights for managers, tech developers and health advocates.
Originality/value
Despite its significance, avatar design research in the hospitality sector has been overlooked. This study addresses this gap, offering a guideline for crafting attractive and persuasive avatars.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This project was funded by Project P0047204, 25504823, ‘Co-creating value with virtual humans: The effects of non-verbal communication during face-to-face service encounters,’ by the Research Grants Council under the RGC Early Career Scheme; Project P0043294, IT S/028/22FP, ‘An Interaction Framework of Hospitality Virtual Human Persona and Brand Personality Consistency,’ by the Innovation and Technology Commission; Project P0043864, ‘Data Science and AI for Hospitality,’ by Accel Innovations Limited; Project P0045486, ‘Metaverse in Hospitality and Tourism,’ by the University Grants Committee under the Research Matching Grant Scheme (RMGS); Project P0045695 by PolyU (UGC); Project P0043849 by PolyU (UGC); Project P0045911 by the University Grants Committee under the Mr and Mrs Chan Chak Fu Research Assistantship.
Citation
Hao, F., Aman, A.M. and Zhang, C. (2024), "What is beautiful is good: attractive avatars for healthier dining and satisfaction", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-09-2023-1490
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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