Despite the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI)-based agents in human daily life, there remains a dearth of exploration and synthesized evidence on the social aspects of human-AI interaction. Researchers have increasingly viewed AI agents as a distinct form of media persona, sparking interest in the phenomenon of parasocial interaction (PSI) with these entities. Building on this emerging

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition marked by widespread pain, psychological distress, and significant societal costs. This study evaluates the feasibility of a mobile health (mHealth) application designed to support cognitive-behavioral therapy for FM by enabling real-time tracking of patient-reported outcomes and adaptive treatment modifications within public health care settings. Thirty-six

Technological advancement has transformed nearly every aspect of modern life. Nonetheless excessive use of smartphone has become a matter of concern. Adolescents and young adults tend to be more attached or addictive to smartphones and their effects are seen either physically or psychologically. However, there are still no established diagnostic criteria for smartphone addiction in The Diagnostic and

This study examines the neural underpinnings of the intention to use cognitive training digital therapeutics among older adults with subjective memory complaints. A total of 23 older adults with a clinical dementia rating score of 0.5-commonly interpreted as indicative of very mild cognitive impairment-participated in cognitive training using a smartphone application. Leveraging functional near-infrared

People are fundamentally social creatures, seeking connectedness driven by a need to belong. Belonging is a subjective feeling that helps us recognize our connection to people, social groups, culture, places, and experiences. In turn, belongingness can support mental well-being through positive interpersonal interactions and encouragement in both face-to-face and online environments. Advancements in

Deepfakes can distort reality and communicate disinformation so convincing that individuals find it difficult to differentiate real from fake, which can have significant real-world effects. Faced with the challenges of Deepfakes, individuals will assign responsibility for Deepfakes to various entities and that responsibility allocation will influence many issues including regulation, distribution,

Automated vehicles (AVs) have the potential to significantly enhance road safety, traffic efficiency, and mobility access by supporting or replacing human control during driving. However, the success of this transition hinges on people's attitudes. This study explores the dimensionality and factor interactions in the adaptation of the technology acceptance model (TAM) to conditional AVs applied to

The development of Large Language Models (LLMs) has sparked significant debate regarding their capacity for Theory of Mind (ToM)-the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. This systematic review examines the extent to which LLMs exhibit Artificial ToM (AToM) by evaluating their performance on ToM tasks and comparing it with human responses. While LLMs, particularly GPT-4, perform

As algorithms increasingly shape user experiences on digital platforms, concerns have emerged regarding their opacity and potential negative consequences. In response, platforms have introduced transparency features such as algorithm-based recommendation explanations and user control features. However, empirical research on the effects of these approaches and how they vary according to user characteristics

Emotion detection is crucial in various domains, including psychology, health, social sciences, and marketing. Specifically, in psychology, identifying negative emotions in short Spanish texts, such as tweets, is vital for understanding individuals' emotional states. However, this process is challenging because of factors such as lack of context, cultural nuances, and ambiguous expressions. Although

The popularity of video games and esports has increased the demand for scientific research examining the psychological factors associated with video game performance. Tilt, a common term in gaming, is characterized by negative emotion and a decline in performance. The term tilt is commonly used within the gaming community, yet there is a lack of research examining tilt in video games from a psychological

Young people may search for, or be exposed to, self-harm- and suicide-related content on social media, and they sometimes use these platforms to communicate about their own experiences of self-harm and suicide. Preliminary evidence demonstrates exposure to self-harm and suicide-related content online has both protective and harmful effects. However, research in this area has been hindered by the lack

This study investigated the effect of users' "belief in a just world" (BJW) on the persuasiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) agents' recommendations. Our prediction that users' preferences for human or AI agents vary according to their BJW levels was tested experimentally. The results revealed that individuals with high BJW rated human agents' recommendations more favorably than those of AI agents

Virtual reality (VR) offers a safe, immersive environment for medical training, but some users remain skeptical about a broader implementation. Our study aims to explore how personality traits, affective responses, and task-related perceptions correlate with attitudes towards VR-based medical emergency training. Forty-seven medical students participated in a 30-minute VR emergency training. Personality

Currently, time spent online viewing short-form video (SFV) has become an increasingly popular activity. SFV users spend over two hours daily across a variety of SFV platforms. Undergirded by the theory of technological affordances, the present study is the first to investigate the relative strength of three tech affordances-recommendation accuracy, serendipity, and perceived effortlessness offered

Most research regarding social comparisons on social media has been limited demonstrating their effects on mental health, without explaining the underlying motivational mechanics. It appears that individuals are often motivated to reduce uncertainty about the self. Social media may serve as a tool to access diagnostic information through social comparison. However, because these platforms predominantly

The present study aims to explore the negative online experiences in adolescence, as well as examine the associations of those and their interaction patterns with the frequency of worry and risk perception in relation to several types of online victimization. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study conducted between 2022 and 2023. We collected a nonprobabilistic sample of 824 Spanish adolescents

Young adult couples frequently use text messages to discuss conflicts within their relationship. While face-to-face conflicts have been shown to elicit more negative anticipation and negative emotions in victims of traditional, offline forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) (e.g., psychological and physical) compared with nonvictims, no study has examined how victims of cyber IPV (C-IPV) experience

Bullying, a type of power abuse, deserves to be addressed, and this study examines bullying-related discussions on Reddit before and after the pandemic to better understand its dynamics during this time. We analyzed 8,720 posts and 21,607 comments from the r/Bullying subreddit using static and dynamic topic modeling (DTM) to understand the major topics discussed in the subreddit. Based on static topic

People regard cognitive effort as costly and try to conserve such effort whenever possible. This study aimed to examine the relationship between frequent media use and perceived cost for cognitive effort. A sample of 266 participants (mean age = 25.66, 187 females) completed questionnaires of media use, cognitive thinking style, and psychological distress. They also completed a cognitive task and estimated

This research examined the contagion of interpersonal goals through mock social media posts among Facebook users recruited from Prolific. Two pilot studies were conducted to create Facebook posts that reflected different combinations of self-image and compassionate goals. Then, in the main experiment, 775 participants were randomly assigned to view one of four posts in a 2 (self-image content) × 2

This study quantified the prevalence of two risky online behaviors among adolescents in Vietnam: online privacy disclosure and online pornography use. We conducted a field experiment with 1,313 junior high school students aged 13-15 years in Hoa Binh city. In addition to conventional direct questions, we employed list experiments to address social desirability bias in the students' responses. The results

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools could create statements that are seemingly plausible but factually incorrect. This is referred to as AI hallucination, which can contribute to the generation and dissemination of misinformation. Thus, the present study examines whether forewarning about AI hallucination could reduce individuals' acceptance of AI-generated misinformation. An online experiment

Cyberscams are a pervasive global issue with losses exceeding $1 trillion worldwide and resulting in significant psychosocial impacts, particularly shame. People with disabilities, such as acquired brain injury (ABI), may be additionally vulnerable due to cognitive impairments and social isolation. Increased scam vulnerability and risk factors for people with ABI have not been investigated. This study

Recent research has investigated the connection between artificial intelligence (AI) utilization and feelings of loneliness, yielding inconsistent outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to clarify this relationship by synthesizing data from 47 relevant studies across 21 publications. Findings indicate a generally significant positive correlation between AI use and loneliness (r = 0.163, p < 0.05). Specifically

How has the field of virtual reality (VR) evolved and what type of research has made an impact? We used natural language processing techniques and generative artificial intelligence to develop the most complete review of experimental social science VR research to date (1992-2024). From a collection of 21,195 abstracts written by 52,543 unique authors, 13 reliable themes emerged over time, with immersive

With the rapid development of virtual technology, the metaverse has become an influential communication tool driving engagement in prosocial behavior. This study examined whether spatial presence in a metaverse affects charitable involvement and prosocial behavior. Additionally, it explored the impact of descriptive norms in the metaverse, validated as effective in the physical world. A laboratory

Smartwatches are digital devices, similar to smartphones, and come with the possibility of problematic use. Problematic technology use is the experience of psychological distress or reduced daily functioning in response to excessive or addictive technology use. The purpose of this study was to explore whether problematic use of smartwatch devices for exercise tracking influences user's health behaviors

Objectification, being perceived and treated merely as an object with a denial of one's humanness, has been linked to numerous adverse outcomes in daily life. Despite this, its influence on online behaviors, particularly problematic gaming, remains underexplored. The current research (total N = 1,000) extends the literature on objectification by investigating the effect of objectification on problematic

In today's sociocultural milieu, characterized by pervasive social media and evolving conceptions of masculinity, this study examines the interplay among loneliness, social media addiction, self-reliance, and life satisfaction across Generations (Gen) X, Y, and Z. Employing a comprehensive model, the study explores social media addiction as a mediator between loneliness and life satisfaction, with

A substantial portion of the literature investigating whether playing video games with violent content causes aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors has relied on experimental exposure to video game violence. To date, there is significant evidence suggesting these concepts are positively related, while other experiments demonstrate a null effect. A potential explanation for these contradicting

The growth of online video-game players has seen a parallel growth in online gaming communities. Membership in these communities has been well known to play a vital role in shaping social connections and fostering social capital. This systematic review explored the role of interacting virtual identities in shaping the relationship between membership in gaming communities and social capital as an outcome

With the rapid advance of technology, human interactions with virtual avatars in simulated social environments are becoming increasingly common. The aim of the current study was to examine users' perception of social traits and emotions of "neutral," expressionless avatars using an open-source collection. These avatars represented different ethnicities, genders, and occupations via visual features

The penetration of short-form content in daily life is undeniable. TikTok is one of the most popular and fastest-growing short-form video applications globally. This study examined the underlying motives for using TikTok and explored differences in psychological symptoms related to TikTok usage patterns (i.e., active vs. passive). A survey of 500 TikTok users identified six prominent reasons for engaging

Nowadays, with the widespread use of the Internet, cyberbullying has become a pervasive threat to people. This study aimed to create a structural model of cyberbullying based on dark personality traits, with empathy as a mediating factor among students. A total of 360 students of the Mohaghegh Ardabili University were included using the multistage random sampling method. Data were collected using the

This study examined the Proteus effect in autistic and neurotypical participants via the video game, The Sims. Thirty-two participants (16 autistic, 16 neurotypical) participated in a free-play session of The Sims, playing as either an attractive or unattractive avatar. In line with predictions, participants who had played as the attractive avatar negotiated for a significantly larger share of a fictional

Virtual meetings, facilitated through videoconferencing or virtual reality, have become a common form of workplace communication. Despite the advantages these meetings offer, enabling collaboration among workers in dispersed locations, the phenomenon of virtual meeting fatigue, commonly referred to as Zoom fatigue, has emerged as a significant concern. This study explores whether facial appearance

The connection between bullying others and depression is clear. Less clear are the communicative paths through which being a bully leads to depression. Cyberbullying consists of communicative episodes that transcend modes of communication, contexts, and relationships wherein a social network of communicators pursues a subordinate goal of harming other(s) mentally, emotionally, and/or physically to

The present study aims to bridge the gap regarding the potential influence of problem gaming on problem gambling (PG) by examining the potential indirect effect of risky loot box use in this relationship. We also aim to examine these relationships in an understudied cultural context, that is, Eastern European, thus enlarging the current geographical scope of the research on problematic gaming and gambling

The field of problematic Internet use (PIU) has seen significant academic interest in recent years. In the absence of a universally accepted definition of PIU, a multitude of scales have been developed to evaluate it. Notably, the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS-2), formulated on the cognitive-behavioral model by Caplan, emerges as a significant instrument in this domain. This research

In this study (N = 495), dating apps were conceptualized as digital leks. We examined how interpersonal (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy), sexual (sociosexual attitudes, desires, and behavior), and search (satisficing, alternatives) styles relate to mating success through dating apps (dates and sex). Individuals with a faster life history strategy, particularly men high in psychopathy and

Sexual harassment (SH) against women is one of the most worldwide problems. To mitigate its incidence, various programs, including virtual reality (VR), have been developed for both prevention and treatment. 360-degree video has emerged as a subfield of VR capable of inducing the body swap illusion and facilitating perspective-taking (PT), as well as eliciting related emotions. The present study represents