Relationship between the use of ChatGPT for academic purposes and plagiarism: the influence of student-related variables on cheating behavior.

Abstract

The aim of the present study has been to analyze the relationship between the frequency of using ChatGPT for academic purposes and the level of plagiarism, as well as to determine if this relationship is moderated by a series of student-centered variables, such as their academic performance, workload, time management, amotivation, hypercompetitiveness, cheating culture, and unawareness of the consequences of plagiarism. For this purpose, a total of 507 Spanish university students participated, responding to a series of scales to measure the previously mentioned constructs. The results reveal, first, that there is a correlation between the frequency of using ChatGPT for academic purposes and plagiarism, but the causality between these variables is almost nonexistent, regardless of moderating variables. Likewise, it is observed that cheating culture and amotivation did turn out to be significant variables in predicting plagiarism. These results confirm that a higher frequency of using ChatGPT for academic purposes does not necessarily lead to a higher likelihood of plagiarism, as ChatGPT can be used academically for responsible purposes. Furthermore, it is certain personal variables of university students, such as being involved in a cheating culture or experiencing amotivation, that cause the likelihood of plagiarism to increase.