Small Group Interactions with Voice-User Interfaces: Exploring Social Embodiment, Rapport, and Engagement

More and more voice-user interfaces (VUIs), such as smart speakers like Amazon Alexa or social robots like Jibo or Cozmo, are entering multi-user environments including homes. VUIs can utilize multi-modal cues such as graphics, expressive sounds, and movement to convey social engagement, affecting how users perceive agents as social others. Reciprocal relationships with VUIs, i.e., relationships with give-and-take between the VUI and user, are of key interest as they are more likely to foster rapport and emotional engagement, and lead to successful collaboration. Through an elicitation study with three commercially available VUIs, we explore small group interactions (n = 33 participants) focused on the behaviors participants display to various VUIs to understand (1) reciprocal interactions between VUIs and participants and among small groups and (2) how participants engage with VUIs as the interface's embodiment becomes more socially capable. The discussion explores (1) theories of sociability applied to the users' behaviors seen with the VUIs, and (2) the group contexts where VUIs that build reciprocal relationships with users can become a powerful persuasive technology and a collaborative companion. We conclude the discussion with recommendations for promoting reciprocity from participants and, therefore, fostering rapport and emotional engagement in VUI interactions.