Role Valence Features Type of VCA Main...

Role	Valence	Features	Type of VCA	Main references
Main roles
Partner	Positive	VCA and users are on the same level, and the VCA works with the user. The relationship and interactions are friendly and informal	Personal VCAs	Hartmann et al. (2023); Novak and Hoffman (2019); Rhee and Choi (2020); Schweitzer et al. (2019); Zhang et al. (2024)
Servant	Positive	The VCA is subservient and works for the user. The relationship and interactions are formal	Personal VCAs
Master	Negative	The VCA is perceived as unreliable and outside the control of the user, who feels to be in a subordinate position compared to the VCA	Personal VCAs	Novak and Hoffman (2019); Schweitzer et al. (2019)
Less frequent roles
Companion	Positive	The VCA is perceived as deserving trust from the user and gives users comfort and company	Personal VCAs (users with special needs context)	Ramadan et al. (2021)
Caregiver	Positive	The VCA is an integral part of users’ lives. Users feel a deep connection with the device, which is perceived to be for and with the user	Personal VCAs (users with special needs context)	Ramadan et al. (2021)
Stalker	Negative	The VCA is perceived as an intrusive entity.	Personal VCAs (non-users’ context)	Querci et al. (2024)
Captor	Negative	The VCA is perceived as an entity that can threaten users’ psychological and physical health	Personal VCAs (non-users’ context)
Seducer	Negative	The VCA is perceived as a fascinating entity that can be a threat to users’ autonomy	Personal VCAs (non-users’ context)

Role	Valence	Features	Type of VCA	Main references
Main roles
Partner	Positive	VCA and users are on the same level, and the VCA works with the user. The relationship and interactions are friendly and informal	Personal VCAs	Hartmann et al. (2023); Novak and Hoffman (2019); Rhee and Choi (2020); Schweitzer et al. (2019); Zhang et al. (2024)
Servant	Positive	The VCA is subservient and works for the user. The relationship and interactions are formal	Personal VCAs
Master	Negative	The VCA is perceived as unreliable and outside the control of the user, who feels to be in a subordinate position compared to the VCA	Personal VCAs	Novak and Hoffman (2019); Schweitzer et al. (2019)
Less frequent roles
Companion	Positive	The VCA is perceived as deserving trust from the user and gives users comfort and company	Personal VCAs (users with special needs context)	Ramadan et al. (2021)
Caregiver	Positive	The VCA is an integral part of users’ lives. Users feel a deep connection with the device, which is perceived to be for and with the user	Personal VCAs (users with special needs context)	Ramadan et al. (2021)
Stalker	Negative	The VCA is perceived as an intrusive entity.	Personal VCAs (non-users’ context)	Querci et al. (2024)
Captor	Negative	The VCA is perceived as an entity that can threaten users’ psychological and physical health	Personal VCAs (non-users’ context)
Seducer	Negative	The VCA is perceived as a fascinating entity that can be a threat to users’ autonomy	Personal VCAs (non-users’ context)

Source(s): Authors’ own work

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