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<p>As generative AI becomes increasingly integrated into academic writing, ethical ambiguities emerge, especially concerning AI-giarism—where AI-generated content blurs traditional understandings of plagiarism. In addressing these complexities, the present study examines moral judgments across three distinct scenarios of AI usage: (1) Direct copying AI-generated content, (2) AI-supported collaborative writing, and (3) Minimal AI-tool use (e.g., proofreading, grammar checking, and information searches). Grounded in dual-process models of moral reasoning and technological mediation theories, this study investigates how cognitive awareness of plagiarism standards and negative emotions toward plagiarism influence moral judgments and underlying psychological mechanisms. An analysis of data from 415 participants reveals significant variations in ethical evaluations according to context: direct copying is subject to strict moral condemnation, while collaborative writing elicits moderate judgments, and minimal AI-tool use remains ethically ambiguous. Perceived moral intensity mediates both the influences of cognitive awareness and negative emotional attitudes towards plagiarism, emphasizing the need for moral judgment theories to explicitly incorporate context-dependent perceptions of ethical severity. Furthermore, participants’ experience of AI usage moderates the mediation pathways, highlighting the critical role of AI literacy in fostering sophisticated ethical judgments. These findings contribute to theoretical understandings of moral reasoning within AI-mediated academic writing contexts and suggest potential practical implications for educational institutions and publishers, recommending clear, context-sensitive ethical guidelines and targeted AI-literacy initiatives to effectively manage evolving human-AI collaborative practices.</p>

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Chatbot or cheatbot? Moral judgments of AI usage in academic writing

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月20日

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  • Yi Xu,
  • Junyi Guo,
  • Dong Zhou,
  • Mengxuan Li

摘要

As generative AI becomes increasingly integrated into academic writing, ethical ambiguities emerge, especially concerning AI-giarism—where AI-generated content blurs traditional understandings of plagiarism. In addressing these complexities, the present study examines moral judgments across three distinct scenarios of AI usage: (1) Direct copying AI-generated content, (2) AI-supported collaborative writing, and (3) Minimal AI-tool use (e.g., proofreading, grammar checking, and information searches). Grounded in dual-process models of moral reasoning and technological mediation theories, this study investigates how cognitive awareness of plagiarism standards and negative emotions toward plagiarism influence moral judgments and underlying psychological mechanisms. An analysis of data from 415 participants reveals significant variations in ethical evaluations according to context: direct copying is subject to strict moral condemnation, while collaborative writing elicits moderate judgments, and minimal AI-tool use remains ethically ambiguous. Perceived moral intensity mediates both the influences of cognitive awareness and negative emotional attitudes towards plagiarism, emphasizing the need for moral judgment theories to explicitly incorporate context-dependent perceptions of ethical severity. Furthermore, participants’ experience of AI usage moderates the mediation pathways, highlighting the critical role of AI literacy in fostering sophisticated ethical judgments. These findings contribute to theoretical understandings of moral reasoning within AI-mediated academic writing contexts and suggest potential practical implications for educational institutions and publishers, recommending clear, context-sensitive ethical guidelines and targeted AI-literacy initiatives to effectively manage evolving human-AI collaborative practices.