Affective neuroscience theory and attitudes towards artificial intelligence

Abstract

Artificial intelligence represents a key technology being inbuilt into evermore products. Research investigating attitudes towards artificial intelligence surprisingly is still scarce, although it becomes apparent that artificial intelligence will shape societies around the globe. To better understand individual differences in attitudes towards artificial intelligence, the present study investigated in n = 351 participants associations between the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) and the Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence framework (ATAI). It could be observed that in particular higher levels of SADNESS were associated with higher negative attitudes towards AI (fearing AI). The findings are discussed in this work from an evolutionary perspective because primary emotional systems—according to Affective Neuroscience Theory—represent tools for survival, which have been homologously conserved across mammalian species including homo sapiens.

Navigating technological shifts: worker perspectives on AI and emerging technologies impacting well-being

“…10 Simultaneously, there is also a requirement for more understanding into the psychology of attitudes towards AI (ATAI) and towards other digital technologies. While addressing the primary emotional system (Panksepp 1998(Panksepp , 2011 of fear is one aspect of this, another primary emotional system of importance in relation to AI is the sadness people feel (Montag et al 2024) which is argued to be triggered by separation distress from not interacting or interacting less with other humans that people feel when using AI.…”