Rationale and aims of the Special Issue

The impact of AI and technology on individuals, relationships and society is vast, widespread and profound. The benefits of their use appear numerous and the areas of application are equally numerous: education, diagnostic, automated learning, communication, data collection, data analysis. However, despite their great potential, they can also generate risks. In certain contexts, AI and technology-mediated relationships show weaknesses such as discrimination, the spread of incorrect information, not always moral stances, and ethical and privacy issues. While their use now appears to be widespread, the dynamics they can trigger are not yet entirely clear.

The special issue aims to publish contributions that analyse the various theoretical and empirical dimensions of AI and technology, their use and perception in society, their impact on relationships, attributions, emotions, thinking, attitudes, and their ethical and moral implications.

Expected contributions for the Special Issue

We invite manuscripts that include, but are not limited to, studies on the following topics:
- Attitudes, perceptions, and prejudices towards social aspects mediated by AI and technology
- Influence of AI and technology on relationships, interactions, and social connections
- Perceptions and reactions of job applicants in selection processes mediated by AI and technology
- Perceptions and reactions of employees in organizational processes mediated by technologies and AI
- AI-based HR tools (coaching, training, work design, engagement, decision making, etc.) and their impact on workers and work processes
- Impact of AI and technology on social and cooperative skills
- Impact on emotionality of AI and technology
- Unintentional biases and prejudices of AI
- Processes of discrimination mediated by AI
- Ethics and values in the management of AI
- Management of sensitive and personal data through AI, privacy and security
- Social communication in the age of AI
- Identity and AI
- AI and the future of research in social and I/O psychology

Link: https://www.rivisteweb.it/issn/1827-2517/newsdetail/435

Deadline: 31 December 2025

Guest Editors:
Massimiliano Barattucci (University of Bergamo, Italy), Luca Andrighetto (Genoa University, Italy), and Jarosław Grobelny (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland)

How to submit the manuscripts

Please submit your manuscript via the online platform https://submission.rivisteweb.it/index.php/ps, indicating in your cover letter that the contribution should be considered for the special issue “Artificial intelligence and technology in the social world: Emerging perspectives on emotions, perceptions, and human connections”. Please also read the author guidelines before submitting your manuscript. To further info, please do not hesitate to contact the Guest Editors.