New Scientist highlighted research by Jonathan Gratch and Gale Lucas of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies finding that people are more likely to engage with a virtual versus a human therapist. The study found that people are more comfortable admitting psychological problems to an avatar than a human being, though that doesn’t replace the need for human therapists.
“When you’re faced with a human, all these social processes activate. You’re more likely to cooperate with a person, more likely to apply racial stereotypes, more likely to feel judged,” said Gratch.
New Scientist Features ICT Advances Using Virtual Humans for Mental Health
Published: September 4, 2015
Category: News