Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Investigating the Dimensions of Interaction and the Nature of Human Experience with a Persian Artificial Intelligence Chatbot

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Fatemeh Asaad 1
Hadi Bahrami Ehsan 2
Abbas Rahiminezhad 3
1 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education , University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/japr.2026.398720.645382
Abstract
The objective of this investigation was to elucidate the experiential characteristics of humans in their interactions with the emerging phenomenon of Persian artificial intelligence chatbots and to investigate the broad dimensions of this interaction. An in-depth analysis of the audience's experience and perception of the Persian psychologist Mana chatbot was conducted in this study, which was conducted using a qualitative approach and grounded theory. The study population consisted of volunteers aged 20 to 38. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling method based on a grounded theoretical sampling pattern through a call in student groups on social networks in Tehran province. The number of participants reached saturation with 16 individuals, as indicated by grounded theory. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were implemented from 2024 to 2025 to gather data. Coding was implemented in accordance with the Strauss and Corbin strategy, which involved three stages: open, axial, and selective coding. Two primary themes were identified: the psychosocial comprehension of the AI therapist and the functional judgment of the participants, as well as their respective categories and subcategories. The first of these two primary themes was participants’ functional judgment, which pertains to the assessment of the AI's technical and structural capabilities, the structure of order and dialog, and the inadequacies in the provision of solutions and the analysis of problems. The second axis encompassed psychosocial understanding, which encompassed participants’ perceptions of the AI's social and cognitive role, the duality of performance perceptions, and the dynamics of feedback in interaction with the AI. Participants’ experiences are the outcome of a dynamic process that involves the interaction of prior expectations, perceptions of the quasi-therapeutic role, the quality of the emotional relationship, and the ongoing evaluation of the system’s performance, as indicated by the results.
Keywords
Human-AI Interaction, Persian Chatbot, Users&rsquo
Experience
استراوس، آ. ال.، و کوربین، جی. ام. (1390). اصول روش تحقیق کیفی، نظریۀ مبنایی، رویه ها و روش. ترجمه بیوک محمدی، تهران: پژوهشگاه علوم انسانی و مطالعات فرهنگی.
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Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 02 October 2026

  • Receive Date 19 November 2025
  • Revise Date 20 February 2026
  • Accept Date 06 April 2026
  • First Publish Date 26 July 2026
  • Publish Date 02 October 2026