Lonely But Not Alone: How Anthropomorphic Virtual Learning Assistants Enhance College Students' Positive Emotions

Loneliness among college students has emerged as a growing concern in educational settings due to its detrimental effects on mental health and academic performance. Positive psychology suggests that addressing negative emotions like loneliness requires fostering positive emotional experiences to build psychological resilience, rather than focusing solely on mitigating loneliness itself. Although previous research has demonstrated that activities such as travel and video games can improve positive emotions among students, these interventions are often hindered by high costs and potential adverse effects. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the effects of an anthropomorphic virtual learning assistant (VLA) on students' positive emotions. Drawing on anthropomorphism and empathy theories, the study introduces empathy as a mediating variable and loneliness as a moderating factor. The findings indicate that the anthropomorphic VLA, in contrast to nonanthropomorphic designs, significantly enhances positive emotions by promoting empathy, particularly among students with higher levels of loneliness. These results underscore the potential of anthropomorphic design to enhance the functionality of virtual agents and highlight the critical role of empathy in AI-driven emotional interactions. This study provides novel theoretical insights and practical implications for the integration of anthropomorphic AI in educational contexts, aiming to support students' emotional well-being.