Author Information
Shuangyue Zhang, Sam Houston State University, United StatesAndrew Liu, Fairview High School, Colorado, United States
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and appropriateness of AI-generated feedback versus human-generated feedback in parent-child communication. In a scenario-based survey, 103 college students evaluated responses from both ChatGPT and humans to a situation in which a teenage girl asked her parents to buy a mini skirt they considered too short. The scenario and human responses were developed by a focus group comprising two professors with expertise in interpersonal communication and a team of 20 college students. Participants (Median age = 23.2; 23% male, 77% female) rated the responses on five dimensions: honesty, competence, politeness, appropriateness, and supportiveness. The results from repeated-measures t-tests indicated that human responses were rated as more honest (t = 4.169, p < .001) and competent (t = 2.42, p < .05) compared to AI responses, while AI-generated feedback was viewed as more supportive (t = -5.265, p < .001). Both human and AI responses were considered equally polite and appropriate. Overall, the study extends our understanding of politeness theory (Brown & Levinson, 1987), which examines how people manage face (self-image) in communication, especially during face-threatening acts like criticism. While AI may offer supportive feedback, humans are perceived as more honest and competent, especially in situations requiring nuanced judgment. The study suggests AI can be a useful supplementary tool for parents—offering advice, suggesting strategies, and providing consistent feedback when humans may be too busy or emotionally charged. These results may inform educational programs to improve parent communication skills and guide the development of AI tools to support parent-child interactions.
Paper Information
Conference: ECAH2025Stream: Media
This paper is part of the ECAH2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Zhang S., & Liu A. (2025) Can AI Be a Good Assistant in Parent-Child Communication? A Comparison Between AI- and Human-Generated Responses ISSN: 2188-1111 – The European Conference on Arts & Humanities 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 321-331) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1111.2025.27
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1111.2025.27
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