Does the Anthropomorphism Level of Government Digital Humans Affect Public Intention to Participate in Service Recovery Findings from a Survey Experiment

Service failures by government digital humans are difficult to avoid, and public participation in service recovery can effectively mitigate their negative impacts. Existing research lacks in-depth discussion on the psychological mechanisms through which the anthropomorphism of government digital humans influences public intention to participate in service recovery. Based on mind perception theory and consumer value theory, this study designed two scenario-based experiments. The first experiment (N=148) employed a 2 (Anthropomorphism Level: High/Low) × 2 (Failure Type: Process Failure/Outcome Failure) design. It found that a higher level of anthropomorphism in digital humans leads to stronger intention to participate in service recovery. Perceived value mediates the relationship between the anthropomorphism of digital humans and intention to participate in service recovery. However, the type of service failure did not have a moderating effect on the path from anthropomorphism level to perceived value. The second experiment (N=201) employed a 2 (Anthropomorphism Level: High/Low) × 2 (Recovery Strategy: Apology/Explanation) design. It found that service recovery strategies exert a significant moderating effect on the relationship between anthropomorphism and public willingness to participate in service recovery, whereas their moderating effect on the relationship between perceived value and public willingness to participate in service recovery is insignificant. This research verifies the impact of government digital human anthropomorphism on public intention to participate in service recovery within service failure scenarios. It fills a theoretical gap and provides foundational knowledge and managerial insights for governments to better conduct service recovery and upgrade government services and interactive experiences.