Galjak, Marko and Budić, Marina (2026) Trust Over Creepiness: AI Chatbot Perceptions in Balkan Countries. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction. pp. 1-25. ISSN 1044-7318
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Generative AI research remains predominantly Western-centric. This mixed-methods study replicates Baek and Kim (Citation2023) chatbot acceptance model in the Balkan region (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia). Surveying users (N = 413), we validated the psychometric scales but found significant structural differences compared to the original US data. Specifically, task efficiency did not influence trust or creepiness. Conversely, playfulness emerged as a key predictor, reducing creepiness and building trust. While the US study found creepiness strongly deterred use, our sample showed trust was the dominant driver of continuance intention. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses identifies an “instrumentalist mindset,” users perceive AI as a pragmatic tool rather than a social agent, explaining the emotional decoupling of efficiency from creepiness. The results demonstrate that Western-validated HCI models require cultural adaptation. We recommend that designers targeting similar contexts prioritize utility and transparency over anthropomorphic features
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Institutional centre: | Centre for demographic research |
| Depositing User: | D. Arsenijević |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Mar 2026 08:25 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Mar 2026 08:25 |
| URI: | http://iriss.idn.org.rs/id/eprint/2925 |
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