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EHARS Scale Measures Human Attachment Patterns to AI

The scale offers a framework for designing AI companions that combine empathy with transparent interaction.

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This study differentiated two dimensions of human attachment to AI: anxiety and avoidance. Credit: Neuroscience News

Overview

  • Researchers at Waseda University developed the Experiences in Human-AI Relationships Scale (EHARS) to assess users’ psychological ties to AI.
  • The scale underwent two pilot studies and formal validation published May 9 in Current Psychology confirming its reliability and validity.
  • Analysis identified two key attachment dimensions—anxiety, characterized by need for reassurance, and avoidance, marked by preference for emotional distance.
  • Survey data showed nearly 75% of participants turned to AI for advice and about 39% perceived such systems as a dependable presence.
  • Researchers suggest leveraging EHARS insights to tailor AI companion designs for mental health support and to prevent emotional overdependence.