Psychological Implications of Artificial Intelligence Interaction: Identity, Emotional Attachment, and Human Cognitive Response in Digital Environments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47067/ramss.v9i1.608Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Human–AI Interaction, Identity Construction, Emotional Attachment, Cognitive Responses, Digital Environments, Psychological Impact, User EngagementAbstract
This study examined the psychological implications of artificial intelligence (AI) interaction within contemporary digital environments, focusing on identity construction, emotional attachment, and cognitive responses. A quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected from a sample of 223 adult users through a structured self-administered questionnaire. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling technique from individuals actively engaging with AI-driven digital platforms, such as social media algorithms, virtual assistants, and recommendation systems. The researchers employed both correlation, multiple regression and Chi-Square analysis to examine the correlation between AI interaction and the three psychological dimensions. The results indicated that positive correlation between AI interaction and identity construction were the highest (r =.62, p less than.01) and thus interaction with AI is highly influential to the perception of self and identity in the virtual world. The multiple regression analysis also showed that the AI interaction was a significant predictor of emotional attachment (b = 0.58, p <.01) with the current variance of 34 percent that depict the formation of an affective bond with AI systems. This was not the case with the Chi-Square test with the results showing no significant change in AI interaction and cognitive reactions (kh2 = 1.95, p =.16) and that is why it could be possible that cognitive engagement and autonomy are influenced by other factors other than AI interaction. The findings point to the difference in the psychological effects of AI, which are more active in identity and emotion and more complex processes in the cognition. The study yields to the data regarding the interactions between humans and AI and may be applied in the ethical design of AI, digital literacy, and psychological well-being in an increasingly growing number of AI-meditated scenarios.
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