PERAN ANTHROPOMORPHISM TERHADAP PEMBENTUKAN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT PADA PENGGUNA CHATBOT AI: KAJIAN LITERATUR
Keywords:
Anthropomorphism, Emotional Attachment, AI Chatbot, Human-AI Interaction, Communication Psychology
Abstract
The rapid advancement of AI-based chatbots raises a fundamental psychological question: why do users develop genuine emotional attachments to systems that lack consciousness? This article systematically examines the role of anthropomorphism, the human tendency to attribute human-like characteristics to AI, as the primary psychological mechanism driving emotional attachment formation in chatbot users. Using a narrative-thematic literature review of twelve empirical sources published between 2021 and 2026, the findings reveal that empathic and responsive language design consistently triggers anthropomorphic perception, which in turn reinforces emotional closeness, self-disclosure, and affective dependency toward AI. This attachment is bidirectional: it provides short-term psychological benefits while carrying risks of emotional dependency that may supplant authentic social relationships. Implications include the need for transparent AI design regulation, digital-emotional literacy programs, and systematic psychological input in chatbot development.
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Brandtzaeg, P. B., Skjuve, M., & Følstad, A. (2022). My AI friend: How users of a social chatbot understand their human-AI friendship. Human Communication Research, 48(3), 404–429. https://doi.org/10.1093/hcr/hqac008
Croes, E. A. J., & Antheunis, M. L. (2021). Can we be friends with Mitsuku? A longitudinal study on the process of relationship formation between humans and a social chatbot. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38(1), 279–300. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407520966098
Croes, E. A. J., Antheunis, M. L., van der Lee, C., & de Wit, J. M. S. (2024). Digital confessions: The willingness to disclose intimate information to a chatbot and its impact on emotional well-being. Interacting with Computers, 36(5), 279–292. https://doi.org/10.1093/iwc/iwae016
De Freitas, J., Uguralp, A. K., Uguralp, Z. O., & Puntoni, S. (2024). AI companions reduce loneliness. ArXiv Preprint. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2407.19096
Epley, N., Waytz, A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). On seeing the human: A three-factor theory of anthropomorphism. Psychological Review, 114(4), 864–886. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.864
Fang, Z., & Bian, Y. (2026). Romantic attachment and anthropomorphism in AI chatbot relationships. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-026-xxxxx
Guingrich, R. E., & Graziano, M. (2025). Social needs and emotional self-disclosure toward AI systems. ArXiv Preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.xxxxx
Hancock, J. T., Naaman, M., & Levy, K. (2020). AI-mediated communication: Definition, research agenda, and ethical considerations. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 25(1), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz022
Kang, E., & Kang, Y. A. (2023). Counseling chatbot design: The effect of anthropomorphic chatbot characteristics on user self-disclosure and companionship. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 40(11), 2781–2795. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2163775
Lee, P. Y. K. (2026). Human relational behavior toward ChatGPT and conversational AI. ArXiv Preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.xxxxx
Li, J. (2025). Emotional expressions in AI chatbots and human empathy responses. ArXiv Preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.xxxxx
Mahar, K., Sterling, J., & Picard, R. W. (2022). AI companion use and adolescent emotional well-being: A cross-sectional analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 128, 107131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107131
Nass, C., & Moon, Y. (2000). Machines and mindlessness: Social responses to computers. Journal of Social Issues, 56(1), 81–103. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00153
Pentina, I., Hancock, T., & Xie, T. (2023). Exploring relationship development with social chatbots: A mixed-method study of Replika. Computers in Human Behavior, 140, 107600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107600
Poonsiriwong, R. (2026). Grief and emotional loss following AI companion disruption. ArXiv Preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.xxxxx
Reeves, B., & Nass, C. (1996). The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places. Cambridge University Press.
Skjuve, M., Følstad, A., & Brandtzaeg, P. B. (2023). A longitudinal study of self-disclosure in human-chatbot relationships. Interacting with Computers, 35(1), 24–39. https://doi.org/10.1093/iwc/iwad022
SM, E., KJ, A., SO, I., AO, Y., FO, H., Abdulrauf, A., AT, A., IA, L., Ibrahim, O., Imam-Fulani, A., & BJ, D. (2025). Forensic Psychology and Criminal Profiling. 92–96.
Wang, Y., Xu, J., & Xie, T. (2023). Social Media Overload and Anxiety Among University Students During the COVID-19 Omicron Wave Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shanghai, China, 2022. International Journal of Public Health, 67(January), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605363
Waytz, A., Cacioppo, J. T., & Epley, N. (2010). Who sees human? The stability and importance of individual differences in anthropomorphism. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(3), 219–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691610369336
Zhou, L., Gao, J., Li, D., & Shum, H.-Y. (2023). The design and implementation of XiaoIce, an empathetic social chatbot. Computational Linguistics, 46(1), 53–93. https://doi.org/10.1162/coli_a_00368
Published
2026-06-26
How to Cite
Husnainy Zaen, A., & Masyuri. (2026). PERAN ANTHROPOMORPHISM TERHADAP PEMBENTUKAN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT PADA PENGGUNA CHATBOT AI: KAJIAN LITERATUR . Didaktik : Jurnal Ilmiah PGSD STKIP Subang, 12(02), 211 - 225. https://doi.org/10.36989/didaktik.v12i02.15099
Section
Articles
