Paper Number
ECIS2026-1668
Paper Type
SP
Abstract
Generative artificial intelligence is reshaping knowledge work by enhancing performance while raising concerns about user agency and ownership. This research-in-progress examines how ChatGPT access and additional prompt guidance affect task performance, temporal and mental demand, and psychological ownership in problem-solving tasks. Drawing on cognitive load theory and psychological ownership theory, we argue that ChatGPT can support performance by offloading cognitively demanding subtasks, while potentially reducing users’ sense of ownership over the outcome. In a between-subjects online experiment (n = 136), participants were assigned to one of three conditions: no ChatGPT, ChatGPT-only, or ChatGPT with additional prompt guidance. Results show that both ChatGPT conditions improved task performance compared to the control group. ChatGPT access reduced temporal demand, but neither condition significantly affected mental demand, and no indirect effects were found. Both experimental conditions reduced psychological ownership. AI literacy moderated the effects on temporal demand and, partially, on psychological ownership.
Recommended Citation
Freise, Leonie Rebecca and Moritz, Josephine, "Support Or Substitution: How Chatgpt Affects Cognitive Load, Ownership, and Performance In Problem-Solving" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 12.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/cog_hbis/cog_hbis/12
Support Or Substitution: How Chatgpt Affects Cognitive Load, Ownership, and Performance In Problem-Solving
Generative artificial intelligence is reshaping knowledge work by enhancing performance while raising concerns about user agency and ownership. This research-in-progress examines how ChatGPT access and additional prompt guidance affect task performance, temporal and mental demand, and psychological ownership in problem-solving tasks. Drawing on cognitive load theory and psychological ownership theory, we argue that ChatGPT can support performance by offloading cognitively demanding subtasks, while potentially reducing users’ sense of ownership over the outcome. In a between-subjects online experiment (n = 136), participants were assigned to one of three conditions: no ChatGPT, ChatGPT-only, or ChatGPT with additional prompt guidance. Results show that both ChatGPT conditions improved task performance compared to the control group. ChatGPT access reduced temporal demand, but neither condition significantly affected mental demand, and no indirect effects were found. Both experimental conditions reduced psychological ownership. AI literacy moderated the effects on temporal demand and, partially, on psychological ownership.
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