4.1 Persuasive Effectiveness
On average, synthetic avatar persuasive pitch videos in this study were
equally as persuasively effective as their organic human spokesperson
counterparts. Based on a composite average of three effectiveness
questions, H1 was confirmed. The p-value was well above the typically
required limit for statistical significance (see Table 1), suggesting a
strong persuasive viability for use of synthetic avatars when variables
beyond the limits of the avatar programs are constrained.
As intended, the persuasive pitch was generally but not overwhelmingly
persuasive to the viewer, scoring a 3.6 out of 5.0 in overall
persuasiveness. The highest score was achieved in how understandable the
video was, nearly a 4 out 5, and the lowest in the direct convincing
score, at a 3.4. This suggests that the experimental design did create
room for the spokesperson to have an impact.