Eliza Effect

implications of anthropomorphic projection on psychic integrity in the face of the use of chatbots for mental health care

Abstract

Contextualization: In recente years, the use of chatbots, which can be define as computer programs that have the ability to hold conversations with humans, has gained relevance in the health field, especially for mental health care purposes. These intelligent systems, available for interaction at any time, can conduct exercises to control symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. Despite such technological advances, it is essential to verify whether the implications of anthropomorphic projection, which is the human tendency of understand human characteristics of objects, in such conversations could not offend the individual’s psychological integrity, a personality right.

Objective: the study aims to analyze the implication of the Eliza Effect and anthropomorphic projection in the right to personality right to psychic integrity in the face of the use of chatbots for mental health care purposes.

Method: the research used the hypothetical-deductive method, based on a bibliographic review.

Results: There is a human tendency to anthropomorphize technological devices, reading respondes as results of human emotions, which can cause attachment, identification and dependence, given the perception of reciprocity, a scenario that can generate offense to psychic integrity.

Conclusions: There are ethical and legal implication related to conversation systems for therapeutic purposes, especially in relation to the right to psychic integrity. Issues related to the privacy of shared informatin, security and discriminatory biases are highlighted.