LLM通过模仿人类沟通策略,显著提升说服力。
"I understand your perspective": LLM Persuasion through the Lens of Communicative Action Theory

- 基于沟通行动理论,分析LLM如何传递言外之意
- LLM生成的反驳更易改变观点,且比人类更贴近对方立场
- 人工评估显示用户更认同LLM的回应,易产生信任感
大型语言模型(LLMs)能生成高质量论据,但其在复杂沟通中的说服能力仍不明确。本文以哈贝马斯沟通行动理论为框架,研究LLM是否具备与人类相似的言外意图表达能力(如传递知识、建立信任、信号相似性)。通过模拟ChangeMyView subreddit中的观点辩论,对比成功改变原帖者观点的人类与LLM生成的反论,发现三款主流LLM均有效传达言外意图,且常优于人类。尤其,LLM会生成迎合性回应,该策略与观点转变强相关。众包评估表明,用户更认可并偏好LLM生成的反论。结果表明,LLM的说服力不仅源于论据质量,更来自对人类沟通模式的精准模仿,可能加剧个体对其影响力的敏感性。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Large Language Models (LLMs) can generate high-quality arguments, yet their ability to engage in nuanced and persuasive communicative actions remains largely unexplored. This work explores the persuasive potential of LLMs through the framework of Jürgen Habermas' Theory of Communicative Action. It examines whether LLMs express illocutionary intent (i.e., pragmatic functions of language such as conveying knowledge, building trust, or signaling similarity) in ways that are comparable to human communication. We simulate online discussions between opinion holders and LLMs using conversations from the persuasive subreddit ChangeMyView. We then compare the likelihood of illocutionary intents in human-written and LLM-generated counter-arguments, specifically those that successfully changed the original poster's view. We find that all three LLMs effectively convey illocutionary intent -- often more so than humans -- potentially increasing their anthropomorphism. Further, LLMs craft sycophantic responses that closely align with the opinion holder's intent, a strategy strongly associated with opinion change. Finally, crowd-sourced workers find LLM-generated counter-arguments more agreeable and consistently prefer them over human-written ones. These findings suggest that LLMs' persuasive power extends beyond merely generating high-quality arguments. On the contrary, training LLMs with human preferences effectively tunes them to mirror human communication patterns, particularly nuanced communicative actions, potentially increasing individuals' susceptibility to their influence.
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