Psychology Graduate Student Explores How AI Perceives Human Distress

February 25, 2026 - 00:24

What happens when artificial intelligence tries to interpret human emotion? For psychology graduate student Hannah Cliburn, that question became the focus of a research project exploring how AI evaluates emotional distress and where it falls short.

With a background in positive psychology, Cliburn initially had no plans to study artificial intelligence. Her perspective shifted during a mentorship, leading to an investigation into the algorithms increasingly used to screen for mental health concerns. Her work critically examines the gap between human emotional complexity and machine interpretation.

Early findings suggest AI systems can struggle with nuance, often missing the contextual and cultural subtleties inherent in human communication. A statement of feeling "stressed" or "overwhelmed" can be interpreted in vastly different ways depending on circumstance, a depth of understanding that current models lack. This raises significant questions about the ethical deployment of such technology in sensitive fields like mental health support.

The research aims not to dismiss AI's potential, but to highlight the critical need for human oversight. Cliburn's project underscores that while machines can process data, the understanding of human distress remains a profoundly human endeavor, requiring empathy and lived experience that algorithms cannot replicate. The study advocates for a collaborative future where AI tools are guided by clinical expertise, ensuring technology serves to augment, not replace, compassionate care.