ESP-4372

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2026-01-20

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Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): Publishing

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How to Cite

Huanyi Liu, & Soo-Kyoung Lee. (2026). Psychological Reactance as Mediator: How Perceived Threat to Freedom and Perceived Ease of Use Affect Intention to Use Chatbot Services in Chinese E-commerce. Environment and Social Psychology, 11(1), ESP-4372. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v11i1.4372

Psychological Reactance as Mediator: How Perceived Threat to Freedom and Perceived Ease of Use Affect Intention to Use Chatbot Services in Chinese E-commerce

Huanyi Liu

School of Service Management, Korea Aerospace University, Goyang-si 10540, Republic of Korea; liuhuanyi651@kau.kr

Soo-Kyoung Lee

School of Service Management, Korea Aerospace University, Goyang-si 10540, Republic of Korea; sklee@kau.ac.kr


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v11i1.4372


Keywords: Chatbot Service. Forced Use. Psychological Reactance. Perceived Threat to Freedom. Perceived Ease of Use

Abstract

The mandatory implementation of chatbots in Chinese e-commerce has elicited consumer resistance. Existing research primarily focuses on the technical optimization of intelligent customer service, examining how to enhance communication efficiency and effectiveness between chatbots and consumers, while paying insufficient attention to the negative psychological mechanisms triggered by mandatory use. This study integrates Psychological Reactance Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model to examine how perceived threats to freedom and perceived ease of use influence consumers’ intention to use chatbots, mediated by psychological reactance under conditions of forced adoption. Based on data collected from 406 survey responses, a structural equation modeling approach was employed to conduct the empirical analysis. The results indicate that: (1) perceived threats to freedom negatively influence intention to use, while perceived ease of use positively influences it. (2) perceived threats to freedom positively predict psychological reactance, whereas perceived ease of use has a negative effect. (3) psychological reactance directly and negatively influences usage intention, serving as a partial mediator between both perceived threats to freedom and perceived ease of use and consumers’ intention to use. Drawing on Psychological Reactance Theory, this study reveals the underlying mechanism through which perceived ease of use enhances consumers’ intention to use chatbot services by mitigating psychological reactance under mandatory conditions. Furthermore, the study offers practical implications for enterprises seeking to mitigate the negative outcomes associated with the compulsory use of intelligent customer service.

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