Proposing and testing the contextual gender influence theory: An examination of gender influence types on trust of computer agents

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine gender-based determinants of consumer trust towards computer agents. Employing multiple literatures, we propose a contextual gender influence theory (CGIT) which has direct bearing on trust in online exchange relationships. A set of studies is presented that begin to demonstrate how the effects of gender identity on human-to-computer interaction are not the same for person-to-person interaction. Indeed, employing both gaming and shopping exchange environments, the results reveal that while biological gender identity appears in a person-to-person interaction as concerns trust, psychological gender identity (specifically femininity) and not biological gender identity, influences relationship trust online.