How many times have you heard someone explain after a venting session or disclosure of a personal dilemma that they just “feel so much better"? Emotional unloading can be both comforting and cathartic. But the results depend on the listener. And one of the challenges in today’s busy, fast-paced society, when you need to talk, is finding someone with the time and bandwidth to listen. Fortunately, if there are no humans available, science has created some contemporary solutions.
Lisanne S. Pauw et al. (2022) in a piece entitled “The Avatar Will See You Now” explored the social-emotional benefits provided by supportive virtual humans.[i] They begin by acknowledging that many people in emotional distress seek support. Virtual humans can provide unique benefits to complement human........