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¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 2 studies · 2 associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? The serial indirect effect through critical thinking then human–AI collaboration quality is significant for functional dependence (Ind3 = 0.0175, 95% CI [0.0072, 0.0301]). → Yin S 2026 q2 i? The serial indirect effect is also significant for existential dependence (Ind3 = 0.0062, 95% CI [0.0012, 0.0128]) but smaller. → Yin S 2026 (2)

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

Bootstrap comparison of Ind3 across the two PROCESS Model 6 models (N = 1,157). The article reports the serial indirect effect "was larger in the functional dependence model (Ind3 = 0.0175)."

"the serial indirect effect through critical thinking and human–AI collaboration quality was larger in the functional dependence model (Ind3 = 0.0175) than in the existential dependence model (Ind3 = 0.0062)."

Yin S 2026 (2)¶

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

Bootstrap result for the existential dependence model's serial pathway. The article reports the effect was significant with the confidence interval not containing zero.

"Ind3, sequentially through critical thinking and human–AI collaboration quality (effect = 0.0062, 95% CI [0.0012, 0.0128])."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Creativity — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Both functional and existential GenAI dependence are positively associated with research creativity, each with significant direct and total effects — 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
• Functional dependence shows a substantially stronger positive association with graduate students' research creativity than existential dependence (β = 0.457 vs β = 0.147) — related
• 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 — related
• GenAI feedback literacy mediates the association between GenAI use and critical thinking, with near-complete mediation — related