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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Cognition
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1455015
This article is part of the Research Topic Creativity and Creativity Awareness: New Directions View all articles

The Influence of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Creative Cognition of Design Students: A Chain Mediation Model of Self-Efficacy and Anxiety

Provisionally accepted
Younjung Hwang Younjung Hwang 1Yi Wu Yi Wu 2*
  • 1 Hunan University, Changsha, China
  • 2 Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study investigated the role of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing the creative cognition of design students, focusing on the mediating effects of self-efficacy and anxiety reduction. The study employed a quantitative approach, collecting data through online surveys from 121 design students at universities in southern China. Measurements included scales for AI knowledge and perception, self-efficacy, anxiety, and creative cognition, adapted from previous studies and evaluated on 5-point Likert scales. Data analysis utilized SPSS 24.0 for exploratory factor analysis and PROCESS v3.5 for mediation analysis. Results confirmed that AI positively impacted students' innovative thinking (β = 0.610, p < .001). Furthermore, self-efficacy (standardized β = 0.256, 95% CI [0.140, 0.418], p < .001) and anxiety reduction (standardized β = 0.093, 95% CI [0.018, 0.195], p < .05) positively mediated the relationship between generative AI and creative cognition. A serial mediation effect through self-efficacy and anxiety reduction was also observed (standardized β = 0.053, 95% CI [0.012, 0.114], p < .05). Our empirical analysis confirms that AI positively affects design students' innovative thinking, with self-efficacy and anxiety reduction serving as significant mediators in the relationship between generative AI and creative cognition, including a notable serial mediation effect. These findings provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers, suggesting that AI-integrated design curricula can significantly foster creative cognition, promote academic achievement, and enhance designer capabilities. Understanding AI's impact on students' creative processes is crucial for developing effective teaching strategies in today's evolving educational landscape.

    Keywords: Generative AI1, Creative cognition2, self-efficacy3, Anxiety4, Design education5

    Received: 26 Jun 2024; Accepted: 27 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Hwang and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yi Wu, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan Province, China

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