Virtual shrink deciphers your diary, diagnoses your mood
It may sound like a lot of hocus pocus to some but https://www.journalgenie.com has magical powers. The “journaling” site analyzes online diary entries and immediately offers caring advice from a computerized counselor. Launched in March, the Journal Genie uses content analysis software to identify underlying emotions in words.
The site -- which offers a five-day trial before charging $4.95 a month -- will respond to anything, including a recipe for corn bread, says Patti Testerman, a content developer. “But it’s like if you went to a psychiatrist and talked about the weather: You wouldn’t get much out of it.”
Testerman believes in the Genie’s powers. “We tracked Martha Stewart’s comments during her trial. The response to her statements indicated she was ‘unfailingly optimistic’ and ‘capable of doing anything.’ ”
The site will be useful in analyzing various statements in the presidential election, Testerman says. To explore that possibility, several position statements were taken from the official campaign websites of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry.
Some excerpts: As to Kerry’s position on education, titled “Strengthening America’s Schools for the 21st Century,” the Genie says: “I want you to know that you are not alone. I sense that you’re going through a pretty rough time here, based on your score, and would like nothing better than to see you pick up the phone and call a friend, family member, or a trusted ‘listening ear.’ Being down is a normal course of life, but when it begins to affect your sense of well-being, and possibly your ability to continue functioning, it’s time to start pushing that pendulum back in the other direction.”
Bush doesn’t fare much better with his “Leave No Child Behind” position on education. Genie: “Forgive me for being so forward, but I can’t shake the impression that you might be avoiding certain feelings of responsibility. Maybe you’re even feeling shame. At some point though, it’s important to acknowledge such feelings, make the Big Apology (even if the only one you’re apologizing to is yourself) and let go of it before feelings fester or magnify out of control.”