Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
6-2026
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots are increasingly being explored as sources of informal emotional support, with emerging evidence suggesting that venting to these systems can reduce negative affect. Yet, it remains unclear whether such benefits depend on the responder's perceived identity. Given that emotional relief from venting often hinges on perceived authenticity and emotional validation, this study investigates whether the emotional well-being benefits of venting differ when users believe they are interacting with an AI chatbot versus a human, even when responses are content-matched. In a pre-registered experiment ( N = 279), participants were randomly assigned to either an AI-assisted venting condition or a perceived human-assisted venting condition. Importantly, participants in both conditions received similar responses generated by an AI chatbot. In the perceived human-assisted venting condition, however, these responses were slightly edited and presented in a context designed to enhance their credibility as coming from a real person. Results indicated that venting improved some emotional well-being outcomes in both conditions, including reductions in stress and loneliness, and increases in perceived social support. However, the magnitude of improvement in emotional well-being outcomes was similar across the AI-assisted venting and perceived human-assisted venting conditions. These findings suggest that AI chatbots may deliver emotional benefits comparable to those provided by a perceived human responder, even when users are aware they are interacting with an artificial agent.
Keywords
AI-assisted venting, Artificial intelligence, Authenticity, Emotional disclosure, Loneliness, Stress, Well-being
Discipline
Applied Behavior Analysis | Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Social Psychology
Research Areas
Psychology
Areas of Excellence
Digital transformation
Publication
Computers in Human Behavior Reports
Volume
23
First Page
1
Last Page
14
ISSN
2451-9588
Identifier
10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101149
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
HU, Meilan, HO, Jerlyn Q. H., NG, Claire, WONG, Shermaine S. M., & HARTANTO, Andree.(2026). Emotional support through AI: Venting to artificial intelligence or a perceived human may offer comparable emotional well-being benefits. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 23, 1-14.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/4444
Copyright Owner and License
Authors-CC-BY
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101149
Included in
Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Commons, Social Psychology Commons