How does artificial intelligence literacy affect university students' innovative behavior? A serial mediation analysis based on latent profiles.

Lei Ma, Tianxing Liu, Chuyuan Zhao, Tiezhu Niu

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Latent profiles of college students' AI literacy and their association with AI acceptance: the sequential indirect role of perceived affordances and growth mindset.Frontiers in psychology · 2026
Article

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Lei MaPhysical Education Department, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, China.

Tianxing LiuPhysical Education Department, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, China.

Chuyuan ZhaoSchool of Physical Education and Sport, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.

Tiezhu NiuPhysical Education Department, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Against the backdrop of the rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI), how university students can effectively leverage AI technologies to foster their innovative behavior has emerged as a critical issue in higher education. This study aims to explore the relationship and underlying mechanisms between AI literacy and university students' innovative behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,040 university students in China. Data were collected using the AI Literacy (AIL) Scale, AI Anxiety (AIA) Scale, Cognitive Flexibility (CF) Scale, and Innovative Behavior (IB) Scale. Results: AIL was significantly and positively correlated with CF ( Conclusion: AIL was directly associated with university students' IB and showed indirect associations through the independent and serial mediation of AIA and CF. These findings extend the application of affordance theory in human-AI collaboration contexts and provide empirical evidence for higher education institutions to implement differentiated AI education and innovation cultivation strategies.

Indexed as

artificial intelligence anxietyartificial intelligence literacycognitive flexibilityinnovative behaviorlatent profile analysisserial mediation

Identifiers

PMID42369301

DOI10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1844997

PMCPMC13293852

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LicenceCC BY

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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.