Anthropomorphism in Children's Interactions with LLM Chatbots: A Systematic Review of Drivers and Outcomes
Summary
This arXiv paper reviews drivers and outcomes of anthropomorphism in children's interactions with LLM chatbots, analyzing 35 empirical studies from 2022-2025. It identifies drivers such as human-like personas and adaptive scaffolding, and outlines outcomes including paradoxical social and moral responses and varying trust, highlighting benefits and risks for child development. The findings can inform the design of child-focused LLM chatbots to support well-being and development.