Talking to human-like devices can be great fun - just ask Siri to tell you a joke. But it may also lead to problems.
A recent study by scientists from the University of Kansas (KU) in the US found that human-like devices keep people from seeking out normal human interaction when they feel lonely.
During a series of experiments, participants were asked to write about a time when they felt lonely. They also took part in an online game of “catch” against a computer program that was designed to “throw” the ball other player more often, but participants believed they were playing with real people online.
Participants were then introduced to human-like products, including a vacuum cleaner (真空吸尘器) designed to appear as if it were smiling. They were also asked to think about their phone in human-like terms, considering questions like “how much does it help you?”
The results showed that the participants were happy with the comfort they got from the machines and didn’t need to seek out normal human interaction.
Generally, when people feel socially excluded, they seek out other ways to reduce the feeling of loneliness. Normal ways include increasing their number of social media friends or engaging in behaviors to seek out interaction with other people, according to Jenny Olson, assistant professor of marketing at KU.
But it wasn’t all bad news, as the team found that there were limits to how far this effect would extend.
“As soon as we tell people we know that it looks like the [vacuum cleaner] is smiling, they seemed to realize it was a machine and not a person,” Olson told Daily Mail. “The effect goes away. This seems to happening on a very subconscious level.”
Researchers believe the results are important for consumers to realize how these types of products could affect their social interaction with real people, especially because so many new products feature interactivity.
“If someone notices they are talking more to Siri lately, maybe that has something to do with felling lonely,” Olson said. “From that standpoint, it’s important to be aware of it.”
The study could also help companies design products that can increase the well-being of people who feel lonely, without sacrificing normal social interaction.
“Maybe it is more about improving our current relationships,” Olson said, “such as taking a break from screen time and focusing on developing your real personal connections.”
43. Researcher from the University of Kansas found that _______.
A.human-like devices may help people interact with others. |
B.interaction with human-like devices may make people feel lonely. |
C.lonely people may easily become addicted to human-like devices. |
D.human-like devices may reduce people’s social interaction in real life. |
44. During the experiments, participants _______.
A.were allowed to talk with human-like devices. |
B.were shown devices with human features. |
C.played online games with both machines and real people. |
D.were encouraged to engage in normal human interaction. |
45. The underlined phrase “this effect” in Paragraph 7 refers to the fact that _______.
A.lonely people are more likely to seek out interaction with other people. |
B.lonely people are content to only interact with human-like machines. |
C.the feeling of loneliness deepens as people interact more with human-like devices. |
D.People who are socially excluded would get uninterested in socializing. |
46. What is the significance of the study according to Jenny Olson?
A.It shows people why human-like products make them feel lonely. |
B.It warns people to stop using human-like devices completely and focus on real social interaction. |
C.It may help the well-being of people who fell lonely and improve their current relationships. |
D.It points out the effects of human-like devices and could help companies improve their products. |