AI as a companion or a tool? Nostalgia promotes embracing AI technology with a relational use
AI as a companion or a tool? Nostalgia promotes embracing AI technology with a relational use
Recent research has indicated that nostalgia is associated with, or fosters, favorable responses to innovative technology and in particular artificial intelligence (AI). However, prior studies failed to differentiate between the relational and functional uses of AI agents, resulting in an incomplete understanding of the role that nostalgia plays in facilitating acceptance of innovation. The current research seeks to fill this gap. We hypothesized that nostalgia is associated with, or engenders, more favorable responses to AI agents used for relational purposes (i.e., as companions) than functional purposes (i.e., as tools for task completion). We obtained support for this moderation model in three preregistered studies (ΣN = 1100). Nostalgia was associated with (Study 1) or increased (Studies 2 and 3) favorability toward AI agents with a relational, but not functional, use. This pattern was due to the stronger role of nostalgia-induced social connectedness in predicting favorable responses to AI agents with a relational (vs. functional) use (Study 3). We discuss implications for the human-technology interaction.
Dang, Jianning
b97344ca-0f79-428e-937e-d64c39df8954
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Liu, Li
ce748233-f559-47d3-a423-c4dd25e2af26
18 December 2024
Dang, Jianning
b97344ca-0f79-428e-937e-d64c39df8954
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Liu, Li
ce748233-f559-47d3-a423-c4dd25e2af26
Dang, Jianning, Sedikides, Constantine, Wildschut, Tim and Liu, Li
(2024)
AI as a companion or a tool? Nostalgia promotes embracing AI technology with a relational use.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 117, [104711].
(doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2024.104711).
Abstract
Recent research has indicated that nostalgia is associated with, or fosters, favorable responses to innovative technology and in particular artificial intelligence (AI). However, prior studies failed to differentiate between the relational and functional uses of AI agents, resulting in an incomplete understanding of the role that nostalgia plays in facilitating acceptance of innovation. The current research seeks to fill this gap. We hypothesized that nostalgia is associated with, or engenders, more favorable responses to AI agents used for relational purposes (i.e., as companions) than functional purposes (i.e., as tools for task completion). We obtained support for this moderation model in three preregistered studies (ΣN = 1100). Nostalgia was associated with (Study 1) or increased (Studies 2 and 3) favorability toward AI agents with a relational, but not functional, use. This pattern was due to the stronger role of nostalgia-induced social connectedness in predicting favorable responses to AI agents with a relational (vs. functional) use (Study 3). We discuss implications for the human-technology interaction.
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Accepted/In Press date: 13 December 2024
e-pub ahead of print date: 18 December 2024
Published date: 18 December 2024
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 497326
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/497326
ISSN: 0022-1031
PURE UUID: 2d1aee1f-38f4-40f3-811b-4dff24d986f7
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Date deposited: 20 Jan 2025 17:34
Last modified: 21 Jan 2025 02:38
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Author:
Jianning Dang
Author:
Li Liu
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