Compensating for “Emotional Offloading”
Business communication instructors can help students develop social and interpersonal skills to offset their increasing dependence on AI.
In a New York Times op-ed, Clay Shirk, vice provost for AI and technology in education at New York University, describes using AI for emotional offloading: “to reduce the energy required to navigate human interaction.” With students relying more on AI to avoid embarrassment, they may miss out on critical learning for social situations. A new study titled, “Sycophantic AI Decreases Prosocial Intentions and Promotes Dependence, highlights AI’s role” (here’s looking at you, ChatGPT 4.0).
Students might know how important employers consider interpersonal and social skills. Studying job postings will give them an idea; then, class activities and assignments can emphasize making mistakes in a safer environment than during an interview or on a job. We learn by trial-and-error—not by asking AI what we should do in awkward situations.
For years, we have challenged students with impromptu speaking, role plays (including fishbowls), video recording, Q&A, reflections, and assignments with real clients. Bad-news, intercultural, and conflictual situations also develop students’ skills in social situations. Here are a few more specific ideas, which also apply to other courses:
Interrupt presentations. I’ve had students play specific roles (legal counsel, HR, sales, etc.) and interrupt team presentations. It’s challenging but definitely “real world.” Related: Plan for an awkward silence after a presentation when no one asks a question.
Derail a presentation. Blocking access to a team’s slides, having a team member stay out “sick,” calling a fire drill in the middle of a presentation, and other, again, real-world mishaps will prepare students well. (Jeanette Heidewald, Indiana University Bloomington, presented about this at an Association for Business Communication conference.)
Focus on emotions. Write scenarios or create or find videos with people illustrating different feelings to test students’ abilities to read and respond to emotions. For example, a customer response situation may help improve students’ ability to distinguish—for themselves and for others—frustration, annoyance, disappointment, anger, etc.
Focus on process for team assessments. Categories such as these (developed for a community-engaged learning course) encourage students to pay attention to team process as well as team outcomes to develop aspects of emotional intelligence and character.
Assign interactions. One activity is called Seven Strangers (reference below). Students strike up conversations with people and try to go beyond the basics about time and weather. Then, they reflect on the experience. It’s difficult but relatively low-stakes.
If your school is like Cornell University, much of the career work has been transferred to the Career Management Office. But if possible, career planning (e.g., values assessments), informational interviews, practice interviews, negotiating compensation, and reflections are great opportunities to work through challenging interactions.
Source: Hartman, E., Kiely, R., Friedrichs, J., & Boettcher, C. (2018). Community-based global learning: The theory and practice of ethical engagement at home and abroad. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.