{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7129083135","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.12476","title":"Not a Silver Bullet for Loneliness: How Attachment and Age Shape Intimacy with AI Companions","display_name":"Not a Silver Bullet for Loneliness: How Attachment and Age Shape Intimacy with AI Companions","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-02-12","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7129083135","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.12476"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2602.12476","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2602.12476","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2602.12476","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2602.12476","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5026073769","display_name":"Raffaele Ciriello","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5073-6310","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5073-6310"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I129604602","display_name":"The University of Sydney","ror":"https://ror.org/0384j8v12","country_code":"AU","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I129604602"]}],"countries":["AU"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ciriello, Raffaele","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Sydney ,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Sydney ,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I129604602"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5062475027","display_name":"Uri Gal","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6356-3869","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6356-3869"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I129604602","display_name":"The University of Sydney","ror":"https://ror.org/0384j8v12","country_code":"AU","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I129604602"]}],"countries":["AU"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Gal, Uri","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Sydney ,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Sydney ,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I129604602"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5123758651","display_name":"Ofir Turel","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I165779595","display_name":"The University of Melbourne","ror":"https://ror.org/01ej9dk98","country_code":"AU","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I165779595"]}],"countries":["AU"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Turel, Ofir","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Melbourne ,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Melbourne ,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I165779595"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":4,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10709","display_name":"Social Robot Interaction and HRI","score":0.6762999892234802,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10709","display_name":"Social Robot Interaction and HRI","score":0.6762999892234802,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10677","display_name":"Attachment and Relationship Dynamics","score":0.26170000433921814,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10803","display_name":"Innovative Human-Technology Interaction","score":0.018400000408291817,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1709","display_name":"Human-Computer Interaction"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ai-companions","display_name":"AI companions","score":0.9269999861717224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/loneliness","display_name":"loneliness","score":0.9340000152587891},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/attachment-styles","display_name":"attachment styles","score":0.890999972820282},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/insecure-attachment","display_name":"insecure attachment","score":0.9509999752044678},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/age-differences","display_name":"age differences","score":0.8510000109672546},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/older-adults","display_name":"older adults","score":0.6669999957084656},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/avoidant-attachment","display_name":"attachment avoidance","score":0.800000011920929},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ambivalent-attachment","display_name":"ambivalent attachment","score":0.9350000023841858},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/attachment-anxiety","display_name":"attachment anxiety","score":0.8399999737739563},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/secure-attachment","display_name":"secure attachment","score":0.6159999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/coping-strategies","display_name":"coping strategies","score":0.47200000286102295},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/socio-technical-processes","display_name":"socio-technical processes","score":0.7080000042915344}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779998236","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223270","display_name":"Loneliness","level":2,"score":0.9254999756813049},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.6976000070571899},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162127614","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5928045","display_name":"Ambivalence","level":2,"score":0.6880000233650208},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.5397999882698059},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C73282008","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1759895","display_name":"Coping (psychology)","level":2,"score":0.4837999939918518},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119477188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q909609","display_name":"Attachment theory","level":2,"score":0.46209999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138496976","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175002","display_name":"Developmental psychology","level":1,"score":0.3763999938964844},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780012110","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5283100","display_name":"Distressing","level":2,"score":0.36800000071525574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777267654","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3519023","display_name":"Test (biology)","level":2,"score":0.3589000105857849},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75795011","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q917904","display_name":"Typology","level":2,"score":0.30149999260902405},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C175202939","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2892912","display_name":"Self-disclosure","level":2,"score":0.299699991941452},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776445246","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1792644","display_name":"Style (visual arts)","level":2,"score":0.2667999863624573},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3018587665","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7268696","display_name":"Qualitative analysis","level":3,"score":0.263700008392334},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C91034043","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223642","display_name":"Interpersonal relationship","level":2,"score":0.2630999982357025}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2602.12476","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2602.12476","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2602.12476","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.12476","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.12476","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.12476","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2602.12476","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://arxiv.org/abs/2602.12476","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2602.12476","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Good health and well-being","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/3","score":0.5683000087738037}],"study_designs":[{"display_name":"Observational Study","id":"https://openalex.org/study-designs/observational-study"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7129083135.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7129083135.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":95,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W175588260","https://openalex.org/W1918231632","https://openalex.org/W1967097368","https://openalex.org/W1971781947","https://openalex.org/W1979319993","https://openalex.org/W1983243750","https://openalex.org/W1988054167","https://openalex.org/W1991312681","https://openalex.org/W1997475706","https://openalex.org/W2001554831","https://openalex.org/W2011193616","https://openalex.org/W2013598608","https://openalex.org/W2015275146","https://openalex.org/W2020750583","https://openalex.org/W2021144408","https://openalex.org/W2030561037","https://openalex.org/W2032794317","https://openalex.org/W2034890640","https://openalex.org/W2043246363","https://openalex.org/W2043853407","https://openalex.org/W2051485173","https://openalex.org/W2070260611","https://openalex.org/W2076653322","https://openalex.org/W2079031211","https://openalex.org/W2082352243","https://openalex.org/W2085956962","https://openalex.org/W2104496441","https://openalex.org/W2107607173","https://openalex.org/W2110287075","https://openalex.org/W2120575082","https://openalex.org/W2130918980","https://openalex.org/W2131057829","https://openalex.org/W2134444949","https://openalex.org/W2137123520","https://openalex.org/W2138587842","https://openalex.org/W2145025766","https://openalex.org/W2157089080","https://openalex.org/W2167827693","https://openalex.org/W2283121234","https://openalex.org/W2315596314","https://openalex.org/W2334198940","https://openalex.org/W2469390656","https://openalex.org/W2553042333","https://openalex.org/W2609371361","https://openalex.org/W2697407365","https://openalex.org/W2768603367","https://openalex.org/W2799819049","https://openalex.org/W2895225400","https://openalex.org/W2896893551","https://openalex.org/W2899568466","https://openalex.org/W2944177330","https://openalex.org/W2952606062","https://openalex.org/W2967011870","https://openalex.org/W2975336846","https://openalex.org/W3003738217","https://openalex.org/W3093987005","https://openalex.org/W3101126289","https://openalex.org/W3110012039","https://openalex.org/W3131085628","https://openalex.org/W3140024610","https://openalex.org/W3211320408","https://openalex.org/W3217646035","https://openalex.org/W4200556747","https://openalex.org/W4206186180","https://openalex.org/W4212886556","https://openalex.org/W4223909509","https://openalex.org/W4229451984","https://openalex.org/W4300864811","https://openalex.org/W4306831277","https://openalex.org/W4311111985","https://openalex.org/W4312204748","https://openalex.org/W4312381072","https://openalex.org/W4360874904","https://openalex.org/W4384701272","https://openalex.org/W4386383634","https://openalex.org/W4386772844","https://openalex.org/W4390491239","https://openalex.org/W4391105189","https://openalex.org/W4391393033","https://openalex.org/W4391398994","https://openalex.org/W4391945581","https://openalex.org/W4392461082","https://openalex.org/W4404412167","https://openalex.org/W4404814666","https://openalex.org/W4405021766","https://openalex.org/W4406351260","https://openalex.org/W4406867775","https://openalex.org/W4407114048","https://openalex.org/W4407449022","https://openalex.org/W4408800883","https://openalex.org/W4411628042","https://openalex.org/W4412780363","https://openalex.org/W4412810121","https://openalex.org/W4413873695","https://openalex.org/W4415275619"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4412632098","https://openalex.org/W7217582507","https://openalex.org/W7170157290","https://openalex.org/W7154149009","https://openalex.org/W7223416788","https://openalex.org/W7167268422","https://openalex.org/W7202133239","https://openalex.org/W7172510935","https://openalex.org/W7125940399","https://openalex.org/W7216913066"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Artificial":[0],"intelligence":[1],"(AI)":[2],"companions":[3,50,144,178],"are":[4],"increasingly":[5],"promoted":[6],"as":[7,145,154],"solutions":[8],"for":[9,29,109,117,148],"loneliness,":[10],"often":[11],"overlooking":[12],"how":[13,40],"personal":[14],"dispositions":[15,161],"and":[16,36,61,72,85,119,162,179],"life-stage":[17],"conditions":[18],"shape":[19],"artificial":[20,151],"intimacy.":[21],"Because":[22],"intimacy":[23,108,116,132,152],"is":[24,103,169],"a":[25,57,62,74,99,155],"primary":[26],"coping":[27],"mechanism":[28],"loneliness":[30,78,136],"that":[31,186],"varies":[32],"by":[33,82,87,159],"attachment":[34,83],"style":[35],"age,":[37],"we":[38,70],"examine":[39],"different":[41],"types":[42],"of":[43,64,142],"users":[44,112,124],"form":[45,173],"intimate":[46,174],"relationships":[47,175],"with":[48,106,114,176],"AI":[49,67,143,177],"in":[51,76,183],"response":[52],"to":[53,172],"loneliness.":[54,149],"Drawing":[55],"on":[56,189],"hermeneutic":[58],"literature":[59],"review":[60],"survey":[63],"277":[65],"active":[66],"companion":[68],"users,":[69,121],"develop":[71],"test":[73],"model":[75],"which":[77],"predicts":[79],"intimacy,":[80],"moderated":[81],"insecurity":[84],"conditioned":[86],"age.":[88],"Although":[89],"the":[90,96],"cross-sectional":[91],"data":[92],"limits":[93],"causal":[94],"inference,":[95],"results":[97],"reveal":[98],"differentiated":[100],"pattern.":[101],"Loneliness":[102],"paradoxically":[104],"associated":[105],"reduced":[107],"securely":[110],"attached":[111],"but":[113],"increased":[115],"avoidant":[118],"ambivalent":[120],"while":[122],"anxious":[123],"show":[125],"mixed":[126],"effects.":[127],"Older":[128],"adults":[129],"report":[130],"higher":[131],"even":[133],"at":[134],"lower":[135],"levels.":[137],"These":[138],"findings":[139],"challenge":[140],"portrayals":[141],"universal":[146],"remedies":[147],"Instead,":[150],"emerges":[153],"sociotechnical":[156],"process":[157],"shaped":[158],"psychological":[160],"demographic":[163],"conditions.":[164],"The":[165],"study":[166],"clarifies":[167],"who":[168],"most":[170],"likely":[171],"highlights":[180],"ethical":[181],"risks":[182],"commercial":[184],"models":[185],"may":[187],"capitalise":[188],"user":[190],"vulnerability.":[191]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":4}],"updated_date":"2026-11-07T11:25:07.637180","created_date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00"}