In the SEM, GenAI dependence is positively associated with critical thinking (β = 0.492), human–AI collaboration quality (β = 0.538), and research creativity (β = 0.064), with satisfactory model fit¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · 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? GenAI dependence positively predicts critical thinking (β = 0.492, p < 0.001), human–AI collaboration quality (β = 0.538, p < 0.001), and research creativity (β = 0.064, p < 0.05); critical thinking strongly predicts research creativity (β = 0.731, p < 0.001). → Yin S 2026

Evidence¶

Yin S 2026¶

Yin S, Wu R, Liu X and Li R (2026) GenAI dependence and graduate students' research creativity: the roles of critical thinking and human–AI collaboration quality. Front. Psychol. 17:1896963. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1896963

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Structural equation modeling in AMOS 24 with a second-order GenAI dependence construct and serial mediators, N = 1,157. The article reports model fit of χ2/df = 7.541, CFI = 0.988, GFI = 0.981, SRMR = 0.017, noting the χ2/df ratio was relatively high.

"GenAI dependence was positively associated with critical thinking (β = 0.492, p < 0.001), human–AI collaboration quality (β = 0.538, p < 0.001), and research creativity (β = 0.064, p < 0.05). Critical thinking was positively associated with human–AI collaboration quality (β = 0.348, p < 0.001) and research creativity (β = 0.731, p < 0.001)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Creativity — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Meta-reviews reach contradictory conclusions on whether AI reliance harms or helps critical thinking, with substantial design limitations limiting generalizability — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Both functional and existential GenAI dependence are positively associated with research creativity, each with significant direct and total effects — related
• Functional dependence shows a substantially stronger positive association with graduate students' research creativity than existential dependence (β = 0.457 vs β = 0.147) — related
• GenAI-assisted education produces significantly higher higher-order thinking abilities than non-GenAI approaches (g = 0.72) — related
• Critical thinking and human–AI collaboration quality jointly form a significant serial indirect pathway from GenAI dependence to research creativity, larger for functional than existential dependence — related
• Critical thinking is the dominant indirect pathway linking functional GenAI dependence with research creativity, accounting for approximately 85% of its total indirect effect — related
• AI task scaffolding is positively associated with critical thinking and technical problem-solving among AI-using university students — related
• Perceived trust mediates the relationship between social influence and generative AI dependence — related
• Higher AI readiness is associated with greater, not lower, concern about GenAI reducing student creativity — reports the opposite
• GenAI use is positively associated with GenAI dependence among business students — reports the opposite