English version below
"In one widely shared social media saga, a woman described developing romantic feelings toward her psychiatrist, and within days millions are watching, diagnosing, and debating her fate with pop-psych terms like limerence and transference. She begins to self-diagnose, borrowing language from strangers and leaning on an AI chatbot she names and trusts; even preferring its guidance to her clinicians. What starts as therapy becomes a digital drama, where psychology, social media, and artificial intelligence collide."
Mit dieser Einleitung eröffneten Nita Bislimi, Anna Kulesza, Emma Wood und Anja Gaiswinkler ihr erstes Themen-Café beim LBG OIS Forum 2025. Die Studentinnen der Fakultät arbeiten als Praktikantinnen am Weave-Forschungsprojekt "Self-Other Distinction in Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder" (betreut von Ekaterina Pronizius). Ihre Präsentation "Trust in Psychological Science in the Age of AI – Pop Psychology, Self-Diagnosis, and the Rise of Questionable AI Use” traf auf Begeisterung, lebhafte Diskussionen und positives Feedback seitens des Publikums.
In ihrem Talk befassten sie sich mit den zunehmenden Berührungspunkten zwischen Psychologie, Social-Media-Kultur und neuen Technologien wie künstlicher Intelligenz. Sie beleuchteten die Chancen und ethischen Herausforderungen digitaler Psychologie und der KI-basierten Selbstdiagnose.
Die Präsentation regte die Zuhörer*innen an, kritisch über unser Vertrauen in Algorithmen und Online-Communities nachzudenken und zu reflektieren, wie diese unser Verständnis von psychischem Wohlbefinden prägen.
Das Engagement, die Neugier und die Zusammenarbeit des Teams verkörpern den Geist des Weave-Förderprogramms – die Verknüpfung von Wissenschaft, Innovation und Engagement. Das Themen-Café stellt einen fantastischen ersten Schritt in die Welt der akademischen Konferenzen für Nita, Anna, Emma und Anja dar – wir gratulieren!
"In one widely shared social media saga, a woman described developing romantic feelings toward her psychiatrist, and within days millions are watching, diagnosing, and debating her fate with pop-psych terms like limerence and transference. She begins to self-diagnose, borrowing language from strangers and leaning on an AI chatbot she names and trusts; even preferring its guidance to her clinicians. What starts as therapy becomes a digital drama, where psychology, social media, and artificial intelligence collide."
This opening marked the beginning of a powerful story crafted by Faculty students and interns working on the "Self-Other Distinction in Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder" Weave project — Nita Bislimi, Anna Kulesza, Emma Wood, and Anja Gaiswinkler (supervised by Ekaterina Pronizius). Together, they led their first Themen-Café at the LBG OIS Forum 2025. Their session, "Trust in Psychological Science in the Age of AI – Pop Psychology, Self-Diagnosis, and the Rise of Questionable AI Use", was met with enthusiasm, lively discussion, and overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees.
The presentation explored the growing intersections between psychological science, social media culture, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. It shed light on the opportunities and ethical challenges of digital psychology and AI-based self-diagnosis.
The team’s session invited participants to think critically about the trust we place in algorithms and online communities — and how these shape our understanding of psychological well-being.
The team's dedication, curiosity, and teamwork truly embody the spirit of the Weave funding scheme — connecting science, innovation, and engagement. What a fantastic first step into the world of academic conferences for Nita, Anna, Emma, and Anja. Congratulations!
