Psychology Lab Report Creation
Budget: $30 – $250 AUD
Topic: University students' intentions to use generative AI in their coursework
This study examines students’ intentions to use generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in their coursework at university. Specifically, we will explore the role of social norms in influencing students’ intentions.
Generative AI, like ChatGPT, is a new tool that may be useful for various tasks. However, it can also be used in inappropriate and unacceptable ways, such as to generate parts of an assignment, answers to questions, or even whole essays without acknowledging its use. As such, there is a lot of interest in understanding students’ intentions to use generative AI and what factors might encourage or discourage inappropriate use.
In this study, we will examine the role of social norms in encouraging or discouraging inappropriate use. Behaviour is often influenced by social norms, with people more likely to do a given behaviour if that behaviour is considered normative within their reference groups. Recent research, including our own research with psychology students, suggests that social norms around using generative AI do influence students’ intentions and behaviours. However, that research is correlational and does not tell us whether social norms have a causal role in shaping behaviour. In this study, we will use an experimental method to examine the causal role of social norms in shaping behaviour.
The psychological literature around normative influence distinguishes two types of norms: injunctive norms (what most people think you should do) and descriptive norms (what most people actually do). Usually, these two types of norms are consistent (people usually do what people think they should do), but not always. In the context of generative AI use, injunctive norms are what most students think is acceptable use, while descriptive norms describe how many students actually use it. In this study, we will attempt to manipulate these two types of norms experimentally and examine whether they have a causal effect on students’ intentions to use generative AI.
Participants were given information about the percentage of students who think using ChatGPT to write parts of an assignment is acceptable (injunctive norm manipulation) and about the percentage of students who intend to use it in this way (descriptive norm manipulation). Some participants were given positive norm information (most students approve or are likely to use it) while others were given negative norm information (most students disapprove or are unlikely to use it). Participants then completed a measure of their own intentions to use generative AI in their coursework.
The research question we seek to answer is whether injunctive and/or descriptive norms have an effect on students’ intentions to use generative AI and, if so, whether their effects are additive or interactive.
Report requirements
The word count for your assignment is 2,200 words, not including title page, figure(s), or the reference list (though in-text citations are included in the word count). Refer to Findlay & Kaufman (2021) or a similar reference for further details and a description of APA lab report sections. Additional resources and guidance will be available throughout the unit.
The lab report must contain the following components. The approximate word counts are suggested but not mandatory. They give an indication of the relative length of each section.
Assignment title page
Abstract (100–150 words)
Introduction (500–600 words)
Method (200–300 words)
Results (150–300 words)
Discussion (600–800 words)
References and style
This study examines students’ intentions to use generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in their coursework at university. Specifically, we will explore the role of social norms in influencing students’ intentions.
Generative AI, like ChatGPT, is a new tool that may be useful for various tasks. However, it can also be used in inappropriate and unacceptable ways, such as to generate parts of an assignment, answers to questions, or even whole essays without acknowledging its use. As such, there is a lot of interest in understanding students’ intentions to use generative AI and what factors might encourage or discourage inappropriate use.
In this study, we will examine the role of social norms in encouraging or discouraging inappropriate use. Behaviour is often influenced by social norms, with people more likely to do a given behaviour if that behaviour is considered normative within their reference groups. Recent research, including our own research with psychology students, suggests that social norms around using generative AI do influence students’ intentions and behaviours. However, that research is correlational and does not tell us whether social norms have a causal role in shaping behaviour. In this study, we will use an experimental method to examine the causal role of social norms in shaping behaviour.
The psychological literature around normative influence distinguishes two types of norms: injunctive norms (what most people think you should do) and descriptive norms (what most people actually do). Usually, these two types of norms are consistent (people usually do what people think they should do), but not always. In the context of generative AI use, injunctive norms are what most students think is acceptable use, while descriptive norms describe how many students actually use it. In this study, we will attempt to manipulate these two types of norms experimentally and examine whether they have a causal effect on students’ intentions to use generative AI.
Participants were given information about the percentage of students who think using ChatGPT to write parts of an assignment is acceptable (injunctive norm manipulation) and about the percentage of students who intend to use it in this way (descriptive norm manipulation). Some participants were given positive norm information (most students approve or are likely to use it) while others were given negative norm information (most students disapprove or are unlikely to use it). Participants then completed a measure of their own intentions to use generative AI in their coursework.
The research question we seek to answer is whether injunctive and/or descriptive norms have an effect on students’ intentions to use generative AI and, if so, whether their effects are additive or interactive.
Report requirements
The word count for your assignment is 2,200 words, not including title page, figure(s), or the reference list (though in-text citations are included in the word count). Refer to Findlay & Kaufman (2021) or a similar reference for further details and a description of APA lab report sections. Additional resources and guidance will be available throughout the unit.
The lab report must contain the following components. The approximate word counts are suggested but not mandatory. They give an indication of the relative length of each section.
Assignment title page
Abstract (100–150 words)
Introduction (500–600 words)
Method (200–300 words)
Results (150–300 words)
Discussion (600–800 words)
References and style