The Case for Caring Colearners: The Effects of a Computer-Mediated Colearner Agent on Trust and Learning

Abstract

This research examines the effects of a computer-mediated colearner agent that manifests caring orientations toward human learners. Just as caring orientations have positive effects on trust and learning in human–human interaction, caring orientations manifested by a computer-mediated colearner agent resulted in positive consequences. We conducted an experiment using a computer application designed to test the effects of colearner agents that manifest caring orientations in the English idiom–learning context. The findings demonstrate that a caring colearner agent led to greater trust and learning measured by recall memory when compared with a noncaring colearner agent; recognition memory, which was another measure of learning, did not show a significant difference. Two intervening variables, namely, feelings of social support and perceived intelligence of the colearner agent, were tested for mediation; the results showed that the effects of caring orientations of the colearner agent on trust were mediated both by feelings of social support and by perceived intelligence of the agent, whereas the effects of caring orientations on recall memory were mediated by feelings of social support only. The authors discuss implications for incorporating positive social virtues, such as caring orientations, into interactive media to enhance communication and learning.