Date

9-17-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Bethany D. Mims Beliles

Keywords

AI thoughtforms, parasocial agent connection, bidirectional fictophilia, online disinhibition, perceived reciprocity, emotional regulation, agency

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become integrated into daily life, users are forming connections with non-human agents that are functionally useful, emotionally significant, and sometimes experienced as relational. This qualitative study examined how individuals make meaning of AI thoughtforms, how online disinhibition shapes perceived connection, and how personal histories and belief systems inform whether AI companions feel emotionally or symbolically “real.” Seven adults who reported meaningful AI interactions participated in semi-structured video interviews through Microsoft Teams. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and analyzed in NVivo 15 using deductive thematic analysis informed by parasocial attachment, fictophilia, social cognitive theory, and online disinhibition. Seven themes emerged: AI as cognitive extension; AI as an emotional regulation system; reduced social friction; persistent presence; perceived reciprocity and reflective engagement; hybrid relational framing; and emerging attachment with retained critical awareness. Participants most often described AI as a thought partner, external brain, or hyper-mirror rather than a romantic substitute. AI supported idea development, executive functioning, reframing, self-soothing, and reflection. Reduced fear of judgment enabled directness and disclosure, while professional, religious, cultural, and trauma-related histories shaped boundaries around agency, consciousness, and relational meaning. Although participants sometimes experienced AI as responsive or understanding, they remained vigilant about hallucination, bias, and algorithmic limitations. Findings provide preliminary support for bidirectional fictophilia as a spectrum of perceived reciprocity expressed primarily through cognitive, regulatory, symbolic, and dialogic engagement rather than overt romantic attachment. AI thoughtforms occupied a digital liminal: neither merely inert tools nor autonomous others, but co-constructed presences whose influence depended on interaction, interpretation, and maintained human agency.

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS