Research AchievementPublished on 09.02.2026
Paper accepted at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026
Dr. Marisa Tschopp co-authored paper “Beyond Disposition: AI Knowledge Predicts Anthropomorphization of a Language Model Better Than Personality Traits in Lay and Expert Populations”, which has been accepted for presentation and publication at CHI 2026 in Barcelona. CHI is widely regarded as the leading international conference in the field of Human Computer Interaction.
Dr. Tschopp will also present the study on February 10, 2026 at the ACM SwissCHI Winter Meeting in Lausanne.
The paper presents an empirical investigation into the factors that influence the anthropomorphization of language models and the consequences this has for system use and moral evaluation. Using a vignette design based on realistic conversation excerpts, the research team examined two groups, laypersons and AI experts. The study analyzed the extent to which personality traits and AI knowledge predict anthropomorphization, and how this relates to usage intentions and moral care.
Key findings
• Higher AI knowledge predicted lower anthropomorphization across both groups
• Among laypersons, higher anthropomorphization was associated with stronger usage intentions
• Among experts, anthropomorphization was associated with discomfort
The study demonstrates that knowledge represents a central lever for fostering reflective engagement with AI systems and provides implications for design, regulation, and education in the field of Artificial Intelligence. These findings contribute to the theoretical advancement of anthropomorphism research and highlight the critical role of AI literacy in informed decision making.
About Dr. Tschopp
Dr. Marisa Tschopp is a senior researcher in Prof. Dr. Anna Jobin's research group, working on the SNSF-funded project "Performing Artificial Intelligence: Governance, Agency, Action–An Interdisciplinary Inquiry".
Paper:
Mara, M., Bauer, L., Tschopp, M., Grosswieser, H., & Kraus, J. 2026.
Beyond Disposition: AI Knowledge Predicts Anthropomorphization of a Language Model Better Than Personality Traits in Lay and Expert Populations. In Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Barcelona, Spain. ACM.
https://doi.org/10.1145/3772318.3791005