Research Symposium

BIO

Hello! My name is Eliana Arroyo, and I am a first-year Behavioral Neuroscience major at Florida State University. I am a first-generation American and was raised in Miami, Florida. During my time here at FSU, a top priority is exploring various research interests and gaining holistic knowledge in several fields. I am passionate about understanding how technology interacts with humanity, specifically the role of social media in behavioral addiction. In the future, I aspire to study public health, attend medical school, and eventually become a psychiatrist. I hope to utilize the diverse perspectives I gained researching to make advancements in the healthcare field, namely those regarding addiction and the intervention of psychiatric disorders.

Exploring Bidirectional Influences Between Social AI Interaction and Human Relationships

Abstract

Enhancements in large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, have transformed human-AI interaction into a source of emotional support and bonding. As social AI finds greater acceptance, its impact on human relationships is yet to be fully explored. This study examines the bidirectional influence between AI usage and psychological well-being, specifically loneliness, depression, and attachment anxiety.
A longitudinal study was conducted with undergraduate participants (N = 26, expected N = 200) who completed baseline surveys measuring loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), attachment style (Adult Attachment Questionnaire), and depression (CES-D Scale). Participants then reported daily interactions with AI and humans for three weeks, followed by a check-in survey using the same psychological measures.
Results indicated that increased time spent with AI, while controlling for human interaction, significantly reduced loneliness (B = -0.02, SE = 0.004, p < .001) and attachment anxiety (B = -0.07, SE = 0.03, p = .022). AI interaction was not significantly linked to depression change (B = -0.32, SE = 0.22, p =.156). These results imply that AI interaction could be associated with a reduction in loneliness and attachment anxiety - perhaps because it is more accessible, responsive, and non-judgmental than some human interactions. Future research could investigate the effect of AI on different demographics and the impacts of other forms of AI interfaces, like voice-operated systems. Knowledge of these associations can help guide the development of AI for social and emotional health in an era of coexistence with socially sophisticated artificial entities.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Relationships, Social Psychology, Satisfaction, Human