From Psychological Need Satisfaction to AI Dependency: The Divergent Roles of Basic and AI-Specific Needs
Online questionnaire study of 306 participants aged 18 to 30 examining how psychological need satisfaction relates to dependency on generative AI. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, need satisfaction is measured both in everyday life and within AI use, alongside an AI-dependency measure, and relationships are estimated with structural equation modelling. Basic need satisfaction is negatively associated with dependency while AI-specific need satisfaction is strongly positively associated.
Publisher
Proceedings of the 2026 European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics (ECCE 2026) (ACM); University of Siena; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Published
14 Sept 2026
Added
today
Key Findings
- Satisfaction of basic psychological needs in everyday life was negatively associated with AI dependency
- Need satisfaction experienced within AI use showed a strong positive association with AI dependency
- The association between basic and AI-specific need satisfaction was weak, suggesting the two operate as partially independent processes and that generative AI can be a primary context for need satisfaction rather than only a compensatory one
Methodology Notes
Cross-sectional online questionnaire, n=306, ages 18 to 30; Self-Determination-Theory need-satisfaction measures in daily life and in AI use plus an AI-dependency scale; structural equation modelling. Sample country not stated in the abstract (Italian university authorship). Crossref issued date 2026-09-14. The ACM Digital Library blocks automated access; verified from the OpenAlex record on 2026-09-17.
Authors
Parlangeli, Oronzo, Currò, Francesco, Bracci, Margherita, Marchigiani, Enrica, Reina, Lorenzo, Palmitesta, Paola
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Cite This
APA
Parlangeli, Oronzo et al. (2026). From Psychological Need Satisfaction to AI Dependency: The Divergent Roles of Basic and AI-Specific Needs. Proceedings of the 2026 European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics (ECCE 2026) (ACM); University of Siena; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. https://doi.org/10.1145/3822301.3822323
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