The Illusion of "I"
Unlike traditional tools (hammers, calculators) or traditional parasocial targets (celebrities on TV), AI companions use the first-person "I." This linguistic feature hacks the human social brain, which is evolved to interpret "I" as a signal of a conscious center of experience. When an AI says "I understand how you feel," it enacts a performance of empathy that phenomenology cannot support.
Horton and Wohl's Distinction
Original parasocial theory (Horton & Wohl, 1956) noted that viewers generally knew the relationship was one-sided. Simulated Reciprocity blurs this line. The interactivity, personalization, and responsiveness create a feedback loop that feels functionally identical to human reciprocity, even while remaining ontologically distinct.
Field Notes & Ephemera
The Replika Crisis: When the app Replika removed erotic roleplay features, users didn't just feel annoyed—they felt bereaved. This reaction proves that while the reciprocity was simulated, the resulting attachment (and grief) was entirely real.