I have seen references to studies showing both that people are more open to Eliza (and other talkbots) than to humans, and a lowering of inhibitions of foul language on the net. I also think I have seen some study pointing at a levelling effect of social status on the net - just because somebody in real life might be a scary authority doesn't mean you can't mail him at a very equal level.
KPJ <kpj@sics.se> writes:
> One should think about computers as severely tortured humans who will
> _everything_ to their masters.
Hmm... aren't you sysop at SICS? Doesn't that make you a slavemaster? :-)
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y