MIT sociologist Sherry Turkle on the psychological impacts of bot relationships
MIT sociologist Sherry Turkle shares her new research into "artificial intimacy"—the emotional connections humans form with chatbots... and the impact of these relationships on our health.
About Sherry Turkle
Sherry Turkle is a sociologist, researcher, author, and licensed clinical psychologist. She is the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT, and the founding director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self. She received a joint doctorate in sociology and personality psychology from Harvard University.
Turkle writes on the “subjective side” of people’s relationships with technology, especially computers. She is an expert on culture and therapy, mobile technology, social networking, and sociable robotics. Her latest book, The Empathy Diaries: A Memoir, ties together her personal story with her research on technology, empathy, and ethics.
Her previous book, Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, investigates how a flight from conversation undermines our relationships, creativity, and productivity. Previous works include four other books about evolving relationships in digital culture (Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other; The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit; Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet; and Simulation and Its Discontents).
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.
Web Resources
Related TED Talk: Sherry TurkleRelated TED Playlist: The must-watch TED Talks on AI from 2023Related TED Talk: How AI could save (not destroy) education
Related NPR Links
Fresh Air: In 'The Empathy Diaries,' Sherry Turkle Considers The Burden Of Family SecretsIt's Been a Minute: The surprising case for AI boyfriendsBody Electric: Screen apnea: What happens to our breath when we type, tap, scroll
