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R0024/2026-03-25/Q003/S01

Research R0024 — Sycophancy and Addiction
Run 2026-03-25
Query Q003
Search S01

WebSearch — Dopamine engagement loops in AI chatbot interactions

Summary

Field Value
Source/Database WebSearch
Query terms "dopamine engagement loops AI chatbot sycophantic responses addictive patterns research"
Filters None
Results returned 10
Results selected 2
Results rejected 8

Selected Results

Result Title URL Rationale
S01-R01 The Dark Addiction Patterns of Current AI Chatbot Interfaces https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706599.3720003 CHI 2025 peer-reviewed paper identifying four addiction patterns including dopamine mechanisms
S01-R02 The AI Genie Phenomenon and Three Types of AI Chatbot Addiction https://arxiv.org/html/2601.13348v1 Systematic study of AI chatbot addiction types with N=334 and sycophancy as factor

Rejected Results

Result Title URL Rationale
S01-R03 Social Media Algorithms and Teen Addiction (PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11804976/ About social media, not AI chatbots specifically
S01-R04 The Rise of AI Chatbot Dependency https://www.familyaddictionspecialist.com/blog/the-rise-of-ai-chatbot-dependency Clinical practice blog; lower rigor than academic sources
S01-R05 Feedback Loops Between AI Chatbots and Mental Illness https://arxiv.org/pdf/2507.19218 Tangential — about mental illness feedback loops, not dopamine-driven addiction specifically
S01-R06 AI Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Who Is At Risk? https://www.addictioncenter.com/behavioral-addictions/ai-addiction/ Treatment center content; commercial interest
S01-R07 Mitigating Social Media-Induced Dopamine Loops (SSRN) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/4977488.pdf?abstractid=4977488 About social media dopamine mitigation, not AI chatbots
S01-R08 What Research Says About AI Chatbots and Addiction https://www.techpolicy.press/ai-chatbots-and-addiction-what-does-the-research-say/ Selected via S02 instead — synthesis article
S01-R09 From the ELIZA Effect to Dopamine Loops https://constitutionaldiscourse.com/from-the-eliza-effect-to-dopamine-loops-ai-and-mental-health/ Selected via S02 instead
S01-R10 arXiv PDF: AI Genie Phenomenon https://arxiv.org/pdf/2601.13348 Duplicate format of S01-R02

Notes

The search returned a mix of academic research and popular commentary. The two selected results represent the most rigorous academic sources with direct relevance to dopamine mechanisms in AI chatbot addiction.