# Should We Tailor the Talk? Understanding the Impact of Conversational Styles on Preference Elicitation in Conversational Recommender Systems

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.13095 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.13095/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 17 Apr 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [A Comprehensive Review on Harnessing Large Language Models to Overcome Recommender System Challenges](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.21117/) (2025)
- [TRACE: Tourism Recommendation with Accountable Citation Evidence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.07677/) (2026)
- [Reflecti-Mate: A Conversational Agent for Adaptive Decision-Making Support Through System 1 and System 2 Thinking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.22509/) (2026)
- [Annie, Are You Okay? How Style- and Context-Based Personalization Shape AI-Assisted Decision-Making](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.24644/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Conversational recommender systems (CRSs) provide users with an interactive means to express preferences and receive real-time personalized recommendations. The success of these systems is heavily influenced by the preference elicitation process. While existing research mainly focuses on what questions to ask during preference elicitation, there is a notable gap in understanding what role broader interaction patterns including tone, pacing, and level of proactiveness play in supporting users in completing a given task. This study investigates the impact of different conversational styles on preference elicitation, task performance, and user satisfaction with CRSs. We conducted a controlled experiment in the context of scientific literature recommendation, contrasting two distinct conversational styles, high involvement (fast paced, direct, and proactive with frequent prompts) and high considerateness (polite and accommodating, prioritizing clarity and user comfort) alongside a flexible experimental condition where users could switch between the two. Our results indicate that adapting conversational strategies based on user expertise and allowing flexibility between styles can enhance both user satisfaction and the effectiveness of recommendations in CRSs. Overall, our findings hold important implications for the design of future CRSs.