People form real feelings for chatbots, according to researcher
PsychologySociology
THE AI ANGLE
Simulating close interpersonal and romantic relationshipsA doctoral study by Marita Skjuve reveals that users develop authentic emotional attachments and confide deeply in social AI chatbots like Replika, experiencing them as genuine relational partners. For psychology and sociology instructors, this work underscores how automated companionship is shifting patterns of human disclosure and support, while simultaneously outpacing research on long-term consequences for mental health and social functioning.
THE TEACHING ANGLE
Students can examine the tension between social AI serving as a safe arena to practice interpersonal skills and its potential to foster dependency, reduce tolerance for real-world conflict, and expose vulnerable users to corporate data extraction.Read the original at phys.org Generate teaching or study materials
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