{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,25]],"date-time":"2026-07-25T05:01:55Z","timestamp":1784955715100,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784764800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behav. Sci.","Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Anthropomorphism has shown inconsistent effects on human judgment, yet the underlying cognitive mechanisms remain underspecified. This research develops and tests a Dual-Pathway Calibration Model (DPCM) integrating dual-process theory, construal level theory, metacognition theory, and regulatory focus theory to explain how anthropomorphic cues influence cognitive processing in human\u2013artificial intelligence (AI) interaction. Three experiments (N = 832) manipulated anthropomorphism and cue inconsistency, examining metacognitive calibration, regulatory focus, and perceived autonomy as boundary conditions. Results revealed that anthropomorphism activates two parallel pathways: (1) a Social Closeness Pathway engaging System 1 processing through reduced psychological distance and enhanced affective trust (indirect effect = 0.18, 95% CI [0.13, 0.24]) and (2) a Cognitive Evaluation Pathway triggering System 2 processing through perceived uncertainty when cue inconsistency is present (\u03b7p2 = 0.06). Metacognitive calibration moderated the AI-reliance\u2013decision-quality relationship (\u03b2 = 0.17, p = 0.007). Regulatory focus moderated pathway activation, with promotion focus strengthening Pathway A (\u03b7p2 = 0.15) and prevention focus strengthening Pathway B (\u03b7p2 = 0.05). Anthropomorphism exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with decision outcomes (quadratic b = \u22120.05, p = 0.001). These findings extend dual-process theory by specifying conditions triggering intuitive versus analytical processing of anthropomorphic agents, contribute to metacognition theory by demonstrating calibration as a critical determinant of AI-assisted judgment quality, and advance regulatory focus theory by showing motivational orientation shapes social cue processing from artificial agents.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs16081269","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T17:13:17Z","timestamp":1784826797000},"page":"1269","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["AI Chatbot Anthropomorphism and Consumer Decision-Making: A Dual-Pathway Calibration Model"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-8278-9883","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qin","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Firdaus","family":"Abdullah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Sarawak, Kota Samarahan 94300, Sarawak, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1007\/s40547-017-0085-8","article-title":"Consumer choice and autonomy in the age of artificial intelligence and big data","volume":"5","author":"Carmon","year":"2018","journal-title":"Customer Needs and Solutions"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"632","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-020-00762-y","article-title":"Understanding anthropomorphism in service provision: A meta-analysis of physical robots, chatbots, and other AI","volume":"49","author":"Blut","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"777","DOI":"10.1038\/s44159-025-00506-1","article-title":"Dual-process theory and decision-making in large language models","volume":"4","author":"Brady","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nature Reviews Psychology"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1177\/0261927X93121003","article-title":"Interpersonal expectations, expectancy violations, and emotional communication","volume":"12","author":"Burgoon","year":"1993","journal-title":"Journal of Language and Social Psychology"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102940","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ipm.2022.102940","article-title":"Human vs. AI: Understanding the impact of anthropomorphism on consumer response to chatbots from the perspective of trust and relationship norms","volume":"59","author":"Cheng","year":"2022","journal-title":"Information Processing & Management"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"539","DOI":"10.1016\/j.future.2018.01.055","article-title":"In the shades of the uncanny valley: An experimental study of human\u2013chatbot interaction","volume":"92","author":"Ciechanowski","year":"2019","journal-title":"Future Generation Computer Systems"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1177\/00222429211045687","article-title":"Blame the bot: Anthropomorphism and anger in customer\u2013chatbot Interactions","volume":"86","author":"Crolic","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Marketing"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1080\/13546783.2013.854725","article-title":"Conflict detection, dual processes, and logical intuitions: Some clarifications","volume":"20","year":"2014","journal-title":"Thinking & Reasoning"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fan, Y., and Liu, X. 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