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Trusting the Unreal: Dynamics of Anthropomorphism in Perceptions of Virtual Influencers

Trusting the Unreal: Dynamics of Anthropomorphism in Perceptions of Virtual Influencers
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Author(s): Özgül Dağlı (Üsküdar University, Turkey)and Damla Karşu Cesur (Kocaeli University, Turkey)
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 52
Source title: Critical Perspectives on Digital Culture and Gaming
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): M. Nur Erdem (Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey)and Özgün Arda Kuş (Uskudar University, Turkey)
DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-6192-5.ch002

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Abstract

This study examines how users perceive the credibility of virtual versus human influencers and how these perceptions influence trust in sponsored social media posts. The research focuses on a high-involvement product (a laptop) and a low-involvement product (coffee), exploring whether the influencer's nature—virtual or human—affects this dynamic. In an experiment, Group A participants were told the influencer was virtual, while Group B believed the influencer was human. Results revealed that perceived source credibility significantly and positively impacted advertising trust across both product categories. Although virtual influencers scored slightly higher on average for source credibility and advertising trust, these differences were not statistically significant.

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