In one experiment researchers at USC tested whether people would be willing to reveal their innermost secrets to an avatar named Ellie as compared to another human. “The shocking result — it wasn’t even a contest,” said Topol. “People far more readily would tell an avatar their deepest secret.”
That experiment has since been replicated, and researchers are finding chat bots and avatars also seem to help people with symptoms of anxiety and depression. “It’s an interesting finding in the modern era,” said Topol. “I don’t think it would have been predicted. It’s like going to confession — you’re laying it out there and you feel a catharsis.”
