Text messages with emoji reactions. AI chatbots as virtual assistants. Lives lived through screens and notifications. Communication today happens digitally now more than ever. But can typed words and programmed bots ever truly replace real human interaction?

In this episode, developmental psychologist Nicole Guajardo and researcher Brooke Nixon explore concepts like the “chameleon effect” and how subtle social cues translate online. We discuss how mimicry shapes perceptions of chatbots, increases likability in texting, and impacts the iPhone versus Android dynamic.

As communication moves swiftly online, what happens to empathy, self-expression, and human connection? Will improving technology only take us so far? Join us as we delve into the social psychology of digital spaces in an increasingly mediated world.

My guest on this episode is Andy High, an Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State University, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on computer-mediated communication.

Professor High conducts research on supportive communication. His research examines how factors like personality, relationships, context, and message affect how well we cope when stressed. He uses theories of face-to-face and online communication to understand how talking across different channels shapes our experiences. He also analyzes how online platforms' features and capabilities influence virtual interactions and outcomes.

In our conversation, we talked about some of the insights from his research, including how machines can both impair and improve our social support interactions compared to other humans. We also dig into the role of generative artificial intelligence and how it might support social support contexts in the future.

Read the journal article we discuss in the episode, I Get by With a Little Help From My Bots: Implications of Machine Agents in the Context of Social Support, written with Austin Beattie.

Are we underestimating the impact of technology on our social connections? In a captivating exchange with Jeff Hall, professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, we dissect technology's power and limits in fulfilling our inherent need to connect. We delve into Jeff's fascinating research, which reveals the hidden value in those seemingly small moments of connection.

From face-to-face chats to phone calls and text messages, we explore how these forms of communication influence our sense of belonging, especially when feeling disconnected. But the conversation gets even more intriguing when we explore the role of Artificial Intelligence in meeting our social needs. Could AI ever become conscious? And what are the implications of employing AI in fields like mental health? Together with Jeff, we ponder these questions, highlighting the critical role of human control in high-stakes situations.

Eventually, our discussion widens to consider the broader implications of AI and technology on our daily lives. Above all, Jeff emphasizes the need for kindness towards ourselves and the preservation of our social connections in this increasingly tech-mediated world.

Links to Professor Hall’s writing referenced in the episode:
Interpersonal Media and Face-to-Face Communication: Relationship with Life Satisfaction and Loneliness
Which mediated social interactions satisfy the need to belong?
The Price We Pay for Being Less Social (WSJ)
Social media use, social displacement, and well-being

Links to other references:
Microsoft survey reveals the downsides of all those remote meetings
Pi, an AI app
You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier