Smiling without Interaction: The Role of Nonverbal Behavior in Noninteractive Consumer Persuasion Settings

Abstract

Two studies examined the effect of an agent’s nonverbal behavior on consumer compliance. Previous research has indicated that the display of nonverbal behavior associated with anticipated success leads to higher compliance rates in interactive persuasion situations. The present work extends these findings by showing that the display of nonverbal behavior associated with anticipated success also leads to higher compliance rates in persuasion situations without interpersonal interaction. Moreover, the present work shows that an agent’s smile on itself is not enough to influence consumer compliance. A noninteractive persuasion situation was created by showing participants a video in which a confederate asked for a donation, while displaying precisely defined nonverbal behavior. The perceived agent generosity and credibility did not appear to mediate the effect of nonverbal behavior on consumer compliance. The mediating role of the agent’s most salient personal attribute in the given context is discussed.