Examining University Students' Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC) Verification Intention from a Protection Motivation Perspective

TL;DR

This study applies Protection Motivation Theory to understand university students' intentions to verify AI-generated content, highlighting the roles of threat perception and coping beliefs in promoting verification behaviors.

Contribution

It extends Protection Motivation Theory to the context of AIGC verification, identifying key psychological factors influencing students' verification intentions.

Findings

Protection motivation positively predicts verification intention.

Perceived severity and vulnerability increase protection motivation.

Three configurational pathways lead to high verification intention.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC) is increasingly used by students to support learning tasks, yet its outputs may contain inaccuracies, fabricated references, bias, and unsupported claims. This study examined students' intention to verify AIGC from the perspective of Protection Motivation Theory. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 432 students who had experience using AIGC for learning. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesised relationships among threat appraisal, coping appraisal, protection motivation, and AIGC verification intention, while fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was applied to identify configurational pathways leading to high verification intention. The SEM results showed that protection motivation positively predicted AIGC verification intention. Perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response efficacy, and self-efficacy positively influenced protection motivation, whereas maladaptive rewards and response cost had negative effects. The fsQCA results further revealed three configurations leading to high verification intention, with protection motivation appearing as a core condition across all pathways. These findings suggest that students' willingness to verify AIGC depends on both risk recognition and perceived coping capacity. The study extends Protection Motivation Theory to the context of AIGC verification and provides implications for promoting critical, responsible, and academically appropriate use of generative AI in higher education.