"Incomplete Without Tech": Emotional Responses and the Psychology of AI Reliance
Biswas, Mriganka and Murray, John (2024) "Incomplete Without Tech": Emotional Responses and the Psychology of AI Reliance. TAROS. (Unpublished)
Item Type: | Article |
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Abstract
The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies into daily life raises questions about our evolving relationship with technology. While quantitative studies have explored usage patterns and potential addiction-like behaviors, these models often fail to capture the depth of the psychological connection some individuals form with their devices. This mixed-methods study investigates the phenomenon of feeling "Incomplete Without Tech," exploring how reliance, trust, and emotional responses differ based on self-reported tech-nical savviness. Quantitative analysis revealed significant differences in reliance on AI-powered recommendations and predictions for the tech-savvy group, but not for general AI usage or habit formation. Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses unpacked themes of convenience, task-specific trust, and concerns over autonomy and accuracy. Crucially, narratives surrounding tech absence re-vealed strong negative emotions, including a sense of 'incompleteness' across tech-savviness levels. This suggests reliance on AI might extend beyond func-tional utility and fulfill psychological needs traditionally met by other means. Findings challenge the adequacy of addiction-based models and highlight the need for new frameworks to understand how AI might shape our sense of self, potentially influencing well-being and resilience in an increasingly tech-saturated world.
Keywords: AI reliance, tech dependence, Incomplete Without Tech.
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More Information
Uncontrolled Keywords: AI reliance, tech dependence, Incomplete Without Tech. |
Depositing User: Mriganka Biswas |
Identifiers
Item ID: 17911 |
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/17911 | Official URL: https://taros-conference.org/ |
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Catalogue record
Date Deposited: 29 Jul 2024 13:05 |
Last Modified: 29 Jul 2024 13:05 |
Author: |
Mriganka Biswas
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Author: |
John Murray
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University Divisions
Faculty of Technology > School of Computer ScienceSubjects
Computing > Artificial IntelligenceSocial Sciences > Sociology
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