ArticleTrials2025
Effects of generative artificial intelligence on cognitive effort and task performance: study protocol for a randomized controlled experiment among college students.
Article in Trials, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06511102 (A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Impact of Using Generative Artificial Intelligence on Analytical Writing Performance and Cognitive Abilities), which is not on this map. Cited by 9 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Impact of Using Generative Artificial Intelligence on Analytical Writing Performance and Cognitive Abilities
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Comment on: Artificial Intelligence in Outpatient Primary Care: A Scoping Review on Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions.Journal of general internal medicine · 2026Article
- A Small Hope for Journals: Declaring Philosophy for Artificial Intelligence Use in Writing.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2026Article
- Strengths and Potential Pitfalls of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatric Education and Practice.Academic psychiatry : the journal of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training and the Association for Academic Psychiatry · 2026Article
- The Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Developing Cognitive and Research Talent Among Postgraduate Students.Journal of Intelligence · 2026Article
- Psychological engagement with automated design improvement feedback: a multiple case study of ChatGPT in design education.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Generative Artificial Intelligence in Health Informatics Education: A Qualitative Exploration of Student Engagement, Perceived Educational Implications, and Ethical Considerations.Advances in medical education and practice · 2026Article
- Artificial Intelligence and the future of clinical trials.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2025Article
- Technostress and generative AI in the workplace: a qualitative analysis of young professionals.Frontiers in artificial intelligence · 2025Article
- How to design digital health interventions with artificial intelligence: A scoping review.Digital healthReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has shown great potential to enhance productivity in many cognitive tasks. However, concerns are raised that the use of generative AI may erode human cognition due to over-reliance. Conversely, others argue that generative AI holds the promise to augment human cognition by automating menial tasks and offering insights that extend one's cognitive abilities. To better understand the role of generative AI in human cognition, we study how college students use a generative AI tool to support their analytical writing in an educational context. We will examine the effect of using generative AI on cognitive effort, a major aspect of human cognition that reflects the extent of mental resources an individual allocates during the cognitive process. We will also examine the effect on writing performance achieved through the human-generative AI collaboration.
methodsThis study is a randomized controlled lab experiment that compares the effects of using generative AI (intervention group) versus not using it (control group) on cognitive effort and writing performance in an analytical writing task designed as a hypothetical writing class assignment for college students. During the experiment, eye-tracking technology will monitor eye movements and pupil dilation. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will collect brain hemodynamic responses. A survey will measure individuals' perceptions of the writing task and their attitudes on generative AI. We will recruit 160 participants (aged 18-35 years) from a German university where the research will be conducted. DISCUSSION: This trial aims to establish the causal effects of generative AI on cognitive effort and task performance through a randomized controlled experiment. The findings aim to offer insights for policymakers in regulating generative AI and inform the responsible design and use of generative AI tools.
trial registrationCLINICALTRIALS: gov NCT06511102. Registered on July 15, 2024. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06511102.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.