Who Does the Thinking? Undergraduate Students’ Decision-Making and the Potential Displacement of Cognitive Processes in Writing by GenAI

Abstract

Since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022, Generative AI (GenAI) has been rapidly integrated into applications capable of producing texts, images, and sounds that simulate human output. While students generally view this technology positively, writing scholars voice increasing concerns, particularly regarding its impact on critical thinking and learning. Current discussions often focus on the perceived benefits of GenAI (e.g., improved writing efficiency and ease of task completion), highlighting an urgent need for research that examines students’ actual decision-making and practice to better assess the pedagogical implications. To address this need, we conducted a mixed-methods study investigating undergraduate students' use and perceptions of GenAI tools in academic writing. We analyzed interview data (N=213) collected through purposive sampling, targeting undergraduate students with active writing assignments across 14 universities in Canada, Europe, and the United States. Frequency analysis provided an overview of the tools' integration across writing stages, while thematic analysis detailed students’ rationales for using or refraining from GenAI. The findings indicated that the dominant efficiency-driven approach to GenAI use might pose a significant potential risk of displacing writing processes and reducing cognitive engagement in the writing classroom. This study contributes a deeper, more nuanced understanding of students’ decision-making around GenAI and its potential impact on writing development and higher education learning outcomes.