ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Cognitive Science
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1596330
Engagement Modes and Attitude Polarization toward AI: The Role of Cognitive Load and Reliability among Chinese Undergraduates
Provisionally accepted
- 1Putra Malaysia University, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- 2University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Qom, Iran
- 3Shanxi Vocational University of Engineering Science and Technology, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
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This experimental study investigates how engagement modes with AI-related information—structured courses, group discussions, and self-directed research—influence attitude polarization and policy preferences among 132 Chinese undergraduates at a northern Chinese university. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions over a six-week intervention, with cognitive load and perceived reliability assessed as key mechanisms. Hierarchical regression revealed structured courses, marked by high cognitive load and reliability, significantly reduced polarization (β = -0.32, p < .01, η² = 0.11), while self-directed research increased it (β = 0.45, p < .01, η² = 0.15). Self-reported polarization strongly correlated with pre-to-post-test shifts (r = 0.68, p < .001), validating the General Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS). Policy preferences mirrored these shifts, with structured courses fostering balanced stances (mean change = - 0.15, SD = 0.40, p < .05). Findings suggest structured, reliable, cognitively demanding interventions mitigate polarization, offering theoretical insights into attitude formation and practical guidance for AI education and policy design.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, attitude polarization, Cognitive Load, Perceived reliability, Information engagement, social psychology
Received: 19 Mar 2025; Accepted: 14 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Bo, Ma’rof, Zaremohzzabieh, Rongfeng and Danhe. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Aini Azeqa Ma’rof, Putra Malaysia University, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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