Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Erika Frost, Nursing; Dr. Stephanie Johnson, Nursing
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-17-2026
Abstract
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, understanding AI’s impact on human communication is essential for nursing education where both effective socialization and digital literacy are key components of professional development. This pilot study seeks to establish a protocol to explore the relationship between undergraduate students’ socialization and their communication styles when interacting with AI tools. Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory serves as the foundation for this study, emphasizing the importance of social connectedness and communication, highlighting how interpersonal dynamics may extend to AI-mediated interactions. A mixed methods pilot study was conducted, consisting of structured sessions with seven undergraduate students aged 18-25 in a controlled academic environment at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. Participants completed an initial survey on social media use and technology comfort, engaged in interactive AI tasks, and completed a post-AI reflection survey assessing emotional and social responses. All data were de-identified to ensure confidentiality. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using Microsoft Excel to explore socialization scores, measured by the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (SCS-R), and the tone, style, and content of AI interactions. Preliminary findings indicated that students with varying socialization patterns demonstrated observable differences in communication approaches, indicating that interpersonal tendencies may shape engagement with AI tools. Participants indicated that the protocol was easy to complete with some adjustment needed to the AI interaction portion of the study. Limitations include the small sample size, reliance on self-reported data, and the exploratory nature of the pilot design. Further research with larger samples is recommended to expand upon these preliminary findings.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Yunana, Miracle and Heinlein, Kjersten, "Human Interactions with Artificial Intelligence: A Pilot Study" (2026). 25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026). Paper 25.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curca_25/25
April 17, 2026. Copyright © 2026 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Comments
This research was completed as part of coursework for NURS 418: Nursing Research Practicum.
One author's name appears on poster but not in the abstract booklet: Kjersten Heinlein.