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Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab

Robb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 1d

🚨New WP!🚨

Structured AI Dialogues Can Increase Happiness and Meaning in Life

In a preregistered RCT, four psychology-grounded #AI chatbots improved well-being across several outcomes.

Co-authors: Jonas Schoene, Johannes Eichstaedt, Aadesh Salecha, Sonja Lyubomirsky

🧵👇

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

Paper: osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF/prereg: osf.io/g59fm/
All chatbots linked above!

Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

Major kudos to brilliant post-doc Jonas Schoene, who led this project!

Thanks to co-authors: Johannes Eichstaedt,, Aadesh Salecha, Sonja Lyubomirsky

And to: @stanfordhai.bsky.social, @stanfordpacs.bsky.social, @pascl-stanford.bsky.social, @uclaanderson.bsky.social

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

We find high public interest in using validated well-being chatbots.

In a nationally rep survey (N=3,056), about 1/2 of U.S. adults said they’d use empirically validated well-being chatbots. About 1/4 have already used #generativeAI chatbots for well-being.

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

Importantly, results generalized to key subpopulations, including those with high baseline levels of anxiety or depressed mood.

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

Linguistic analyses showed users had diff conversations with each chatbot:

Savoring → Sensory perceptions & positive emotions
Gratitude → Social interactions & positive emotions
Meaning → Reflection on others & cognitive processes
Hero’s journey → Achievement & cognitive processes

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

Does use tradeoff with human therapy?
Maybe, though initial evidence against: conversations increased willingness to try well-being chatbots again and to seek human therapy, even among those previously reluctant.

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

RESULTS: All four chatbots…

⚡️Improved happiness, life satisfaction, and meaning,
⚡️Reduced anxiety and depressed mood, relative to control.

Effect sizes exceed or match those from traditional positive psych interventions in @dunnhappylab.bsky.social recent meta-analysis.

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

#4: The Hero’s Journey Chatbot

Guides the user to reframe their life story in terms of the archetypal Hero’s Journey, highlighting challenges, strengths, and next steps (h/t Ben Rogers, @kurtjgray.bsky.social, Herrison Chicas)

👉 herobot.cpwbinterventions.xyz/readme

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

#3: The Meaning Chatbot

Prompts the user to reflect on what gives their life purpose, such as people, activities, and beliefs that are meaningful to them.

👉 cpwbinterventions.xyz/readme

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

#2: The Gratitude Chatbot

Guides user through a short exercise to express gratitude to a specific person. Encourages the user to notice others’ contributions and articulate what they appreciate.

👉 gratitudebot.cpwbinterventions.xyz/readme

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

#1: The Savoring Chatbot

Guides user to slow down and reflect on a positive moment from their life in detail, e.g., associated sensations, thoughts, and meaning.

👉 savoringbot.cpwbinterventions.xyz/readme

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

In a preregistered, randomized experiment (N=2,922), we tested whether four different AI chatbots could improve happiness and feelings of meaning in life.

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 1d

Millions use #GenerativeAI chatbots for emotional support, yet little research re: whether AI dialogues can improve psychological well-being

We test whether brief, structured dialogues grounded in psych research can reliably help

WP👉 osf.io/preprints/ps...

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 2d

We were fortunate to work with Governor Spencer Cox
and the @natlgovsassoc.bsky.social on a field experiment testing the #DisagreeBetter ads. We find politicians advocating for civil discourse increase viewers' openness to those they disagree with politically. Learn more👇

bsky.app/profile/robb...

Robb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 26d

It is great to see Gov Spencer Cox stepping up to turn the temperature down and focus ppl on grieving the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk. Gov Cox has long promoted civility across party lines. Our research finds that his messages are persuasive when Americans see it.

👇

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 2d

Very cool to see @robbwiller.bsky.social quoted in the
@wsj.com talking about our work (led by
@chagaiweiss.bsky.social) testing the effects testing the #DisagreeBetter ads: www.wsj.com/politics/min...

Meet the Lawmakers Trying to Bring Civility Back to Politics

In a growing movement, state legislators in Minnesota, Arkansas, Kansas and beyond are taking on America’s political rage. Opponents are “not the devil.”

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab

Robb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 9d

Last night's @60minutes.bsky.social with
Governor Spencer Cox offers a great chance to learn about the #DisagreeBetter campaign, an effort to encourage respectful and constructive political disagreement: www.cbsnews.com/video/928202...

9/28/2025: A Lonely Voice; The Mystery of the Eagle S; Dana White

First, a message from Utah Gov. Cox after the Charlie Kirk murder. Then, a report on undersea cable cutting in the Baltic Sea. And, UFC head Dana White: The 60 Minutes Interview.

www.cbsnews.com

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 19d

Kudos to all the many folks who led the project, Jan Voelkel, Nick Stagnaro, James Chu, @dgrand.bsky.social, Jamie D. and the many, many others who contributed (e.g., @civichealthproject.bsky.social)

Learn more about the challenge! 👇

www.strengtheningdemocracychallenge.org

Home | Strengthening Democracy Challenge

Strengthening American democracy through collaboration, cooperation, and crowdsourcing.

www.strengtheningdemocracychallenge.org

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 19d

This discussion between @robbwiller.bsky.social and Judy Woodruff on @pbsnews.org News Hour provides an overview of the Strengthening Democracy Challenge:

www.pbs.org/video/americ...

PBS News Hour | Understanding America's partisan divide and how to fix it | Season 2023

What’s driving America's partisan divide and what might be done to reverse it

www.pbs.org

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 19d

Our lab partnered Gov Cox & @natlgovsassoc.bsky.social to test their Disagree Better initiative. Their PSAs showed positive impacts in our field experiment (w/ @chagaiweiss.bsky.social & Don Green).

Results: osf.io/preprints/os...

Summary: youtu.be/1hcqJ5g23l8?...

OSF

osf.io

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · 19d

Many wise insights from Gov Spencer Cox & @ezraklein.bsky.social Gov Cox rightly notes his 2020 video w Chris Peterson was among most impactful in Strengthening Democracy Challenge, a striking example of cross-party engagement.

Grateful for their commitment. Hear it: 👇

youtu.be/WJB87niNCk0

youtu.be

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Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab

Robb Willer @robbwiller.bsky.social · 26d

It is great to see Gov Spencer Cox stepping up to turn the temperature down and focus ppl on grieving the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk. Gov Cox has long promoted civility across party lines. Our research finds that his messages are persuasive when Americans see it.

👇

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Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab

Stanford HAI @stanfordhai.bsky.social · Jul 31

Does labeling AI content affect its persuasiveness? Our latest policy brief evaluates the impact of authorship labels on how people perceive AI-written policy messages. @jurafsky.bsky.social @robbwiller.bsky.social @federicobianchi.bsky.social

hai.stanford.edu/policy/label...

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Reposted by Politics and Social Change Lab

Hidden Brain @hiddenbrain.bsky.social · Jun 24

We live in a world that feels more divided than ever. This week, we revisit an episode with sociologist Robb Willer and discuss how to bridge even the greatest divides. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/us-2...

Win Hearts, Then Minds + Your Questions Answered on Identity and "Covering" - Hidden Brain Media

This week, we bring you a favorite episode with sociologist Robb Willer. We discuss the common mistakes we make in trying to persuade others of our point of view — and how to break out of our echo cha...

hiddenbrain.org

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Politics and Social Change Lab @pascl-stanford.bsky.social · Jun 17

Fantastic piece from @robbwiller.bsky.social and @owasow.bsky.social on nonviolent resistance published in the @nytimes.com. Bravo!

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/o...

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