Perceived competence predicts autonomous motivation for AI use but not autonomy support for AI use¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? In a cross-sectional PLS-SEM model, perceived competence had a significant positive path to autonomous motivation for AI use (H4: β = 0.130, p < 0.05), an association that cannot show cause. → Ahmed A and Sultan A 2026 q2 i? The path from perceived competence to autonomy support for AI use was negligible and nonsignificant (H3: β = 0.010, p = 0.870); a nonsignificant path is not evidence of no relationship. → Ahmed A and Sultan A 2026

Evidence¶

Ahmed A and Sultan A 2026¶

Ahmed A and Sultan A (2026) Examining the impact of generative AI on student motivation and engagement: the mediating role of autonomy-support and autonomous motivation in education. Front. Psychol. 17:1852265. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1852265

q2 · i? · associational · r1

Same PLS-SEM structural model of 297 students. The hypothesis-testing results show competence supported H4 ("β = 0.130, T = 2.150, p < 0.05") while H3 was "negligible and nonsignificant" (β = 0.010, T = 0.160, p = 0.870). The design is cross-sectional, so the paths are associations, not demonstrated effects.

"Perceived competence also showed significant positive effects on autonomous motivation (H4: β = 0.130, T = 2.150, p < 0.05), although its effect on autonomy support (H3) was negligible and nonsignificant."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Self-Efficacy — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Basic psychological need satisfaction is strongly associated with learning engagement among medical undergraduates — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Perceived autonomy positively predicts both autonomy support for AI use and autonomous motivation for AI use — related
• Self-determination theory holds that autonomy support raises intrinsic motivation, and a meta-analysis finds expected tangible rewards undermine it — related
• Perceived Competence, Intrinsic Motivation, and Psychological Safety each significantly positively predict Deep Revision Engagement — related
• Dependent versus autonomous cognitive offloading to GenAI shows opposite motivational and cognitive outcome patterns — related
• AI Prompting Literacy is indirectly and significantly associated with Deep Revision Engagement through Perceived Competence, Intrinsic Motivation, and Psychological Safety — related
• In agentic AI-supported online learning, perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness are each positively associated with learning motivation — related
• Competence is the strongest independent psychological predictor of AI literacy performance, followed by autonomy; relatedness has no significant independent effect — related
• Perceived competence predicts isomorphic test performance and perceived autonomy predicts transfer performance — related
• Satisfaction of basic psychological needs is positively associated with autonomous motivation, with competence the strongest predictor — a broader claim this one bears on