POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Master of Arts in Psychology

Advanced Psychological Assessment
1st Semester, SY 2023-2024

Name: Cabaong, Jan Michael M.

Date submitted: October 13, 2023
Research Journal #1

Title of the Research: The Use of Voice Assistant for Psychological Assessment
Elicits Empathy and Engagement While Maintaining Good Psychometric Properties
Researcher: Mancone, Stefania; Diotaiuti, Pierluigi; Valente, Giuseppe; Corrado,
Stefano; Bellizzi, Fernando; et. Al.
Date and Place of publications: July 2, 2023; Basel Switzerland
Population: 300 university students, aged between 18 and 31.
Methods of Research: The 300 participants were administered the Interpersonal
Reactivity Index (IRI). After a week, it was repeated but the participants were
divided into three groups of 100 participants each. In the first group, the test was
administered through paper and pencil. In the second group, the questionnaire
was read to the participants in person while in the last group, the questionnaire
was administered by Alexa voice device. The third group was also administered a
post-session survey which were the Engagement and Perception of the Bot Scale
(EPVS), a short version of the Communication Styles Inventory (CSI), the Marlow-
Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS), and an additional six items to measure
the degree of concentration, ease and perceived pressure at the beginning and at
the end of the administration.
Research Questions: These were the research questions formulated in this study.
1. What is the level of reliability of the administration of psychometric measurement
through Alexa compared to pencil-and-paper and reading with an operator in their
presence? 2. What is the level of empathy, concentration, interpersonal reactivity
and engagement and positive evaluation of administration through Alexa
compared to the other two modes?
Instruments used: Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI-B), Marlowe-Crowne
Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS), Communication Styles Inventory (CSI-B),
Engagement and Perceptions of the Bot Scale (EPBS) and Index of Concentration,
Ease and Perceived Pressure (ICEPP)
Research Findings: It was confirmed that results from Interpersonal Reactivity
Index (IRI-B) keep the measurement invariance within the three conditions. The
 administration through vocal assistant showed an activation effect on empathy
significantly superior to of pencil-paper and operator-in-presence. It was also
confirmed that the results indicated an engagement and positive evaluation of the
interactive experience, with reported perceptions of closeness, warmth,
competence, and human-likeness associated with higher values of empathetic
activation and lower values of personal discomfort.
Recommendation: Future studies may consider extending the assessment of
interactive involvement in the use of voice assistance into different areas of health
and wellness psychology interventions.

What are the gaps in the research undertaken, based on the research journal you
read (assignment)?
Although the study yields a relevant output in the current trends of psychological
assessment, it also somehow posed some gaps. One of which is that Alexa’s voice was
feminine, and the results challenged whether it imposed gender bias. Does the result
change if the AI’s voice is switched to a male’s voice?

Is the research's outcome generalizable or limited to the location where it was

conducted? Justify your answer.
After a thorough analysis of this study, the research’s outcome is limited to the location
where it was conducted. The researchers also discussed this in their limitations clause
for their study. It was limited because Alexa was communicating with the participants in
Italian language. Also, the age and profession of the participants were strictly enforced.
The results will not be related to ages below or above the participants’ age, although this
study might be used in another research study conducting another age range. Lastly, it
may not be generalizable to other nationalities, but the research outcome may also be
used to generate the same study with other nationalities as well as with a specific
language.

Select/choose a finding in the research that is worth sharing and discussing in

class. Give your personal thought in relation to our subject/class course. What
benefit it may give in the practice of psychological assessment.

The research finding regarding the high empathetic activation and low personal
discomfort with regards to the administration through Alexa compared to the two modes
really piques interest on a personal level. Given the pandemic for the past years, face-to-
face interaction posed a health risk to the test takers and test administration due to
COVID-19, but with Alexa’s administration, the likelihood of being infected with the virus
is low. These results are also good because they do not diminish the empathetic activation
of the test takers but rather are higher than the usual test administration that we already
have. Lastly, it does not affect the test takers’ personal comfort. It was good to know that
test takers’ didn’t experience personal discomfort throughout the administration as if it
may affect their scores or their output.

Please answer the reflective questions below.

What are some of the ways I'm starting to think differently?

After reading the full journal, I’m starting to think that this modality of test administration
whether a sign of progression in modern psychological assessment or destroy the
essence of test administration? One of the things I think is that this might increase the
unemployment. Artificial Intelligence has now a profound effect in our modern society and
it can perform a wide range of tasks that a normal people can also perform so the risks
of unemployment is really a thing if all of the tasks will render by an AI in near future.
(Arena, 2022). Another one is that the AI has algorithms and by that, it might affect the
case-to-case basis of a test taker. Algorithms run by AI developers might imposed an
unintentionally cultural discriminatory against the test takers and to the minorities. This
might have an effect to the results and to the test takers during the administration.
(Cowger, 2020).

What do I want to learn more about?

Given the results of this study, I want to learn more about how an Artificial Intelligence
might help with the test administration without compromising the results and the possible
unemployment and discrimination. Some AI provides an enhancement on human
capacities with a careful algorithms such as initial intake where the test administrator
provided with personal information by the automation thus saving time. (Anderson and
Rainie, 2018). With this, there might be a help with the automation rather than replacing
the actual professional in the run. This is what I want to learn more.

Awakenings and Awakenings

For the past years, humans were the main administrators from initial intake to the final
interpretation and deliberation. What I learn about this study is that the automation or the
artificial intelligence might provide a help with test administrations and save time both
from the test administrators and test takers. This can be applied through my career as
HR. With this, employee records management can be done with ease because the tasks
is tedious and time consuming. Also, in the modern times, payroll is automated with HR
systems. Although it may imposed a risks such as cyber-attacks and hacking, it will be
helpful with the manual side of tasks transforming into automation. (Siocon, 2023).
References:

Mancone et. al, 2023, The Use of Voice Assistant for Psychological Assessment Elicits
Empathy and Engagement While Maintaining Good Psychometric Properties. Retrieved
from: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/7/550

Arena, 2022, 7 Disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence Everyone should know about.

Retrieved from: https://www.liberties.eu/en/stories/disadvantages-of-artificial-
intelligence/44289fbclid=IwAR2z37sGHV8TaKh3o_N-F-
HBeVUDURmME7derC3JNVF3U4GobIF93Jk9EDc

Cowger, 2020, The Threats of Algorithms and AI to Civil Rights, Legal Remedies, and
American Jurisprudence. Retrieved from:
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=2WQGEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=ai
%20algorithms&source=bl&ots=EKVlLoa8SD&sig=ACfU3U2KmXXiq49b7TWNV6MacO
VoTtd3kg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiivZydpfOBAxVL2DgGHVLJB5gQ6AF6BAgbEA
I&fbclid=IwAR1DwnwCYI51UPC8UR659my3TN6djmmbfU3qbJyvSiQs8IMYvoAfG5NDy
qs#v=onepage&q=ai%20algorithms&f=false

Anderson and Rainie, 2018, Improvements ahead: How humans and AI might evolve
together in the next decade. Retrieved from:
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/12/10/improvements-ahead-how-humans-
and-ai-might-evolve-together-in-the-next-
decade/?fbclid=IwAR1GM2f6MAocccX9ALC6cs1Phx0skdLMCUefcT7JW2CvZfdS2Iqun
Y5lRes

Siocon, 2023, Ways AI is Changing HR Departments. Retrieved from:

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/how-ai-is-changing-
hr?fbclid=IwAR2z37sGHV8TaKh3o_N-F-
HBeVUDURmME7derC3JNVF3U4GobIF93Jk9EDc