Volume 30 Number 1, 2026 Investigating the impact of chatbot design features on affective variables: A mixed-methods study

Investigating the impact of chatbot design features on affective variables: A mixed-methods study

Repository record updated on:
July 8, 2026, 1:06 p.m.
Database record updated on:
July 9, 2026, 9:14 p.m.
Last Harvested on:
July 9, 2026, 9:14 p.m.
access-status:
open.access
bitstream:
[['https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstreams/7d437892-549a-491a-b65f-23a9012d5e41/download', '30_01_10125-73697_v2.pdf']]
bitstream_txt:
[['https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstreams/d49aa510-173e-4410-8e58-d5ba786a7892/download', 'full_text'], ['https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstreams/fb91204b-bd97-481e-aeae-522d28d110c8/download', 'full_text']]
collection:
Volume 30 Number 1, 2026
contributor.author:
Lee, Jang Ho Lee, Hansol Kim, Kyungmin
date.accessioned:
2026-07-04T04:47:41Z
date.available:
2026-07-04T04:47:41Z
date.copyright:
2026
date.issued:
2026-07-06
description.abstract:
This study investigated how chatbots, designed with distinct personality traits (more engaging vs. less engaging) and feedback features (basic vs. enhanced) influenced L2 learners’ affective variables, such as anxiety, enjoyment, curiosity, and boredom, during their conversational interactions. Although second language acquisition research, including AI-based chatbot studies, has examined how learners’ emotions are shaped during L2 tasks, there has been insufficient focus on how variations in chatbot characteristics affect learners’ emotional experiences. To address this gap, we conducted a mixed-methods study of undergraduate EFL students, examining their interactions with three conversational agents, each featuring distinct combinations of personality traits and feedback features. Participants engaged in conventional tasks and completed a questionnaire to assess affective variables, which was supplemented with open-ended questions to gain further insights. Our findings revealed how L2 learners’ emotional experiences differ depending on the conversational agents’ characteristics. Based on these insights, we propose the pedagogical implications for the design and implementation of chatbots for L2 learning.
endingpage:
19
format.extent:
19
identifier.citation:
Lee, J. H., Lee, H., & Kim, K. (2026). Investigating the impact of chatbot design features on affective variables: A mixed-methods study. Language Learning & Technology, 30(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/73697
identifier.doi:
https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/73697
identifier.issn:
1094-3501
identifier.uri:
https://hdl.handle.net/10125/73697
language:
eng
number:
1
publicationname:
Language Learning & Technology
publisher:
University of Hawaii National Foreign Language Resource Center Center for Language & Technology
rights.license:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
rights.uri:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
site_url:
/item/10125-73697/
startingpage:
1
subject:
affective, chatbot, feedback, human-AI interaction, L2/EFL learners
title:
Investigating the impact of chatbot design features on affective variables: A mixed-methods study
type:
Article Text
volume:
30