THE SCIENCE
Designed for how the brain actually changes.
KINTSUGI is an evidence-based protocol built on three decades of research in neuroplasticity, attachment theory, and behavioral economics.
The Core Premise
Radical honesty requires an environment completely free from the fear of social judgment.
The Barrier
Social Performance Cost
In face-to-face interactions, the brain unconsciously allocates significant processing power to 'impression management'—monitoring tone, facial expressions, and social standing. This creates a biological barrier to accessing deep shame-based patterns.
The Solution
The Disinhibition Effect
KINTSUGI utilizes the Online Disinhibition Effect, a documented psychological phenomenon where users disclose deeper emotional truths to digital agents than to humans because the 'social threat' is removed.
Key Research
1. Fear of Judgment (Lucas et al., 2014)
Study: Published in Computers in Human Behavior, researchers found that participants displayed lower fear of self-disclosure with virtual agents than humans.
Finding: When the social threat was removed, users were willing to reveal intense feelings of sadness and shame that they withheld from human interviewers.
2. Dissociative Anonymity (Suler, 2004)
Theory: Dr. John Suler identified that digital anonymity bypasses the 'superego' (the inner critic).
Finding: This separation allows users to access 'truth-telling' neural pathways that are often inhibited by social anxiety in clinical settings.
3. The Therapeutic Bond (Fitzpatrick et al., 2017)
Study: Published in JMIR Mental Health, this study tracked users interacting with conversational agents for depression.
Finding: Users established a 'therapeutic working alliance' within days, demonstrating that empathy is perceived through responsive logic, not just biological connection.