A survey of 443 American students links imposter syndrome to a stricter perception of what constitutes cheating when an AI tool is involved.
Where does cheating start when AI agents are everywhere? Researchers surveyed 443 undergraduate students enrolled in computer science courses at a major university in the southeastern United States. The questionnaire measured their sense of self-efficacy, their score on the Clance imposter scale, and their judgment on 13 potential fraud scenarios, including some involving AI.
Two psychological traits, two effects
Unsurprisingly, the more a student believes in their abilities, the less they feel like an impostor. More interestingly, those who have a strong sense of impostor tend to consider a scenario involving AI to be serious cheating. This feeling is also associated with the reported investment in the course and the fact that they have previously been a teaching assistant, while self-efficacy varies by ethnicity.
The authors conclude that academic integrity policies would benefit from integrating the way students perceive AI, and not ignoring imposter syndrome in these discussions.
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