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<p>The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has expanded human-machine interaction frontiers. AI social chatbots, engineered for emotional bonding, now act as technological agents in mediating human intimacy. Grounded in attachment theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, this study proposes a comprehensive explanatory framework of “technological affordances–psychological mediators–emotional attachment” to reveal the dual pathways and psychological mechanisms through which AI social chatbots influence users’ emotional attachment. Based on survey data from 529 Replika users, this study employed a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach for empirical analysis. The results indicate that perceived anthropomorphism and perceived personalization positively affect users’ emotional attachment; meanwhile, perceived control and trust serve as mediators in this process. Furthermore, psychological distance acts as a moderator between trust and emotional attachment but does not significantly moderate the relationship between perceived control and emotional attachment. This study reveals the psychological mechanisms underlying the formation of emotional attachment between humans and AI social chatbots. It also highlights the potential risks associated with human-chatbot intimate relationships and provides ethically guided strategies for enterprises to optimize AI social chatbot services. </p>

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“Cyber Lovers”: The impact of AI social chatbots on users' emotional attachment

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月21日

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  • Xiaoyu Liu,
  • Yu Hu,
  • Xiaobing Chen,
  • Meng Zhang

摘要

The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has expanded human-machine interaction frontiers. AI social chatbots, engineered for emotional bonding, now act as technological agents in mediating human intimacy. Grounded in attachment theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, this study proposes a comprehensive explanatory framework of “technological affordances–psychological mediators–emotional attachment” to reveal the dual pathways and psychological mechanisms through which AI social chatbots influence users’ emotional attachment. Based on survey data from 529 Replika users, this study employed a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach for empirical analysis. The results indicate that perceived anthropomorphism and perceived personalization positively affect users’ emotional attachment; meanwhile, perceived control and trust serve as mediators in this process. Furthermore, psychological distance acts as a moderator between trust and emotional attachment but does not significantly moderate the relationship between perceived control and emotional attachment. This study reveals the psychological mechanisms underlying the formation of emotional attachment between humans and AI social chatbots. It also highlights the potential risks associated with human-chatbot intimate relationships and provides ethically guided strategies for enterprises to optimize AI social chatbot services.