Leveraging Social Cues for Patient–Physician Interactions: The Impacts of Empathy, Interactivity and Social Validation in Mobile Medical Consultations

Social cues play a critical role in the exchange of information during patient–physician communication. Although previous research has recognized the impact of social cues on patients’ perceptions and behaviors in mobile medical consultations, little is known about how different combinations of social cues affect the interactions. Employing a within-subject factorial design experiment, this study examined the effects of three social cues—empathic cues, interactivity cues, and social validation—on patients’ perceptions of interactivity, social presence, and trust. A total of 103 participants was recruited. The results revealed the various significant impacts of empathic cues, interactivity cues, and social validation on perceived interactivity, and social validation affected trust, as well as the relationships among these perceptions. The findings suggested strategies for integrating various social cues to enhance patients’ positive perceptions, offering potential benefits to patient–physician communication in mobile medical platforms.