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The relationship between inert thinking and ChatGPT dependence: An I-PACE model perspective

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Abstract

ChatGPT, as an example of generative artificial intelligence, possesses high-level conversational and problem-solving capabilities supported by powerful computational models and big data. However, the powerful performance of ChatGPT might enhance learner dependency. Although it has not yet been confirmed, many teachers and scholars are also concerned about this issue. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate this topic further. This study’s objective is to explore the association between inert thinking, positive experiences with ChatGPT, avoidance learning motivation, and ChatGPT dependence, based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. Employing a cross-sectional design, we conducted an online survey with 870 Taiwanese university students, who had an average age of 22.81 years. The study found that inert thinking was positively associated with both positive experiences with ChatGPT and ChatGPT dependence. Furthermore, a significant association was found between inert thinking and avoidance learning motivation. Positive experience with ChatGPT was also positively related to avoidance learning motivation and ChatGPT dependence. Due to the scarcity of empirical research on generative artificial intelligence, the issues that people worry about when discussing AI were confirmed in this study. Moreover, avoidance learning motivation was positively correlated with ChatGPT dependence. Based on these findings, this study calls for educators to help students overcome inert thinking and avoidance learning motivation to prevent dependency on emerging technologies.

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Data availability

The data presented in this study are available on request from the first author.

References

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all researchers who provide data information about their studies on request.

Funding

This work was supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in China (Grant Number: 2022NTSS52), First-Class Education Discipline Development of Beijing Normal University: Excellence Action Project (Grant Number: YLXKPY-XSDW202408) and 2024 Beijing Normal University’s Teachers’ Teaching Development Fund Project (Grant Number: 2024125).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Jian-Hong Ye

  2. National Institute of Vocational Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Jian-Hong Ye

  3. School of Education, Minzu University of China, Beijing, 100081, China

    Mengmeng Zhang

  4. School of Continuing Education, Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, Haikou, 571126, China

    Weiguaju Nong

  5. School of Education, Guangxi University of Foreign Languages, Nanning, 530222, China

    Li Wang

  6. Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China

    Xiantong Yang

Authors
  1. Jian-Hong Ye
  2. Mengmeng Zhang
  3. Weiguaju Nong
  4. Li Wang
  5. Xiantong Yang

Contributions

Conceptualization, J.-H.Y., and X.Y.; formal analysis, J.-H.Y.; funding acquisition, J.-H.Y.; investigation, J.-H.Y., M.Z., and X.Y.; project administration, J.-H.Y., and X.Y.; supervision, X.Y.; writing—original draft, J.-H.Y., W.N., and L.W.; writing—review and editing, M.Z., and X.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiantong Yang.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This research obtained approval from the Academic Ethics Committee of Beijing Normal University. The content of this study was independently written by the authors, ensuring 100% originality. However, in the “4.5 Discussion” section, answers provided by ChatGPT during conversations were used to support the analysis results of this study. These sections have been duly annotated.

Informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (5). Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

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Appendix 1 Validity analysis of items

Appendix 1 Validity analysis of items

No.

Items

M

SD

FL

Inert thinking

1

I like to do things based on my past personal experiences.

3.59

1.080

0.60

2

I like to refer to others’ experiences when doing things.

3.33

1.136

0.77

3

I do not like observing new things around me.

3.27

1.217

0.79

4

I do not like to delve deeply into the causes of problems.

3.30

1.216

0.77

5

I do not like to generalize or summarize problems.

3.32

1.175

0.77

Positive experience

1

ChatGPT makes it easier for me to learn knowledge.

3.81

0.911

0.71

2

ChatGPT helps me learn knowledge more quickly.

3.72

0.863

0.73

3

ChatGPT helps me learn the relevant knowledge I need.

3.80

0.900

0.73

4

The content answered by ChatGPT can be applied to my academic learning

3.69

0.928

0.68

5

ChatGPT is a great learning partner.

3.84

0.923

0.72

Avoidance learning motivation

1

I do not like to spend energy on learning tasks.

3.29

1.195

0.80

2

I often think about avoiding learning tasks.

3.33

1.177

0.77

3

I would not want to put in more effort to achieve better learning performance.

3.23

1.150

0.73

4

I feel like giving up when I need to repeatedly correct my homework.

3.24

1.168

0.73

5

When I do homework, I choose the easiest method possible.

3.47

1.060

0.58

6

I choose to decline when classmates invite me to study together.

3.41

1.197

0.77

7

I feel like giving up when I encounter difficulties in learning.

3.38

1.188

0.80

8

When I don’t understand something in my studies, I don’t tend to actively seek answers.

3.25

1.090

0.72

ChatGPT dependence

1

I often use ChatGPT involuntarily.

3.86

0.868

0.77

2

I always prefer to use ChatGPT to find information.

3.90

0.837

0.71

3

My life is filled with conversations with ChatGPT.

3.80

0.827

0.73

4

I find it difficult to stop using ChatGPT.

3.74

0.827

0.68

5

ChatGPT is like an intimate friend.

3.77

0.851

0.70

6

I would feel uncomfortable without ChatGPT.

3.81

0.860

0.69

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Ye, JH., Zhang, M., Nong, W. et al. The relationship between inert thinking and ChatGPT dependence: An I-PACE model perspective. Educ Inf Technol 30, 3885–3909 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12966-8

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