Related Experiment Videos
GenAI Use and GenAI-Assisted Learning Procrastination in University Students: The Roles of Planned Behavior
Zilin Li1, Jiali Huang1, Zhaodi Cui1
1Center for Teacher Education Research of Beijing Normal University, Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences for Universities, Ministry of Education (Institute of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University), Beijing 100875, China.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) use is negatively linked to procrastination in university students, with beliefs and intentions playing key roles. Learning GenAI anxiety further influences this relationship, impacting academic task completion.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Artificial Intelligence in Education
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly adopted by university students for learning.
- The relationship between GenAI-assisted learning and procrastination requires further investigation.
- Existing research on procrastination lacks specific focus on the GenAI context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between GenAI use for learning and procrastination among Chinese university students.
- To extend the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand GenAI-assisted learning procrastination.
- To investigate the moderating role of learning GenAI anxiety on the intention-procrastination link.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1243 Chinese university students.
- Path analysis was employed to examine direct and indirect associations.
- The Theory of Planned Behavior constructs (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention) were assessed.
Main Results:
- GenAI use was negatively associated with GenAI-assisted learning procrastination (β = -0.195).
- TPB constructs (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention) were all negatively linked to procrastination.
- Learning GenAI anxiety moderated the relationship between behavioral intention and procrastination.
Conclusions:
- Student beliefs, intentions, and emotional experiences (anxiety) are crucial in understanding GenAI-assisted learning procrastination.
- The study provides a contextualized TPB framework for GenAI learning behaviors.
- Findings suggest potential interventions targeting beliefs and anxiety to mitigate procrastination in GenAI-assisted learning.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness
Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for at least six months, significantly interfering with daily functioning. Unlike situational anxiety, which arises in response to specific stressors, GAD often occurs without a clear cause. Individuals may experience disproportionate worry about work, health, or relationships. For instance, a person might continuously fear poor health despite normal medical evaluations or...
01:18Anxiety: Overview
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
01:37Social Loafing
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated, individuals become less...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:26Metacognition
Metacognition is a conscious process where individuals are aware of their cognitive and executive processes, such as planning before solving a problem or self-monitoring during reading. For instance, a writer may need help with composing a piece. The situation involves a writer who is working on a piece of writing, but while doing so, they realize that something is missing. They notice that their characters lack depth or details. This realization occurs because the writer is reflecting on their...