The trust-attractiveness trade-off: How anthropomorphism and sex appeal shape audience engagement with virtual news anchors

Chih-Chien Wang 1 * , Guan-Yi Wu 1, Yan-Fong Wu 1
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1 National Taipei University, New Taipei City, TAIWAN
* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume 16, Issue 4, Article No: e202651. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/19272
OPEN ACCESS   15 Views   7 Downloads   Published online: 17 Sep 2026
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ABSTRACT

Advancements in image processing and artificial intelligence now enable virtual avatars to more naturally anchor news broadcasts. News broadcasts no longer need human anchors. While the appearance of a human anchor is essentially fixed, virtual anchors can be completely customized through programming. The physical appearance of a virtual anchor is a crucial design decision. This study examines how anthropomorphism and the sex appeal of virtual anchors influence audience trust and attraction to ultimately shape viewing intentions. Through an online survey (N = 377), participants assessed avatars with varying levels of anthropomorphism (high/low) and sexiness (high/low). The results revealed that highly anthropomorphic avatars significantly enhance trustworthiness and attractiveness and increase viewing intention. In contrast, high sex appeal boosts physical attractiveness but reduces perceived trustworthiness and has a limited impact on viewing intention. These findings offer practical guidance for designing virtual anchors that balance human-like traits and sex appeal to optimize audience engagement.
Keywords: virtual anchors, anthropomorphism, sex appeal, artificial intelligence, trustworthiness, physical attractiveness

CITATION

Wang, C.-C., Wu, G.-Y., & Wu, Y.-F. (2026). The trust-attractiveness trade-off: How anthropomorphism and sex appeal shape audience engagement with virtual news anchors. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 16(4), e202651. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/19272

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