A study of users of generative artificial intelligence found that people with high levels of narcissism were more likely to use generative artificial intelligence in problematic ways. For women, this association was fully mediated by vertical individualism, an orientation that emphasizes personal independence and autonomy alongside competition, achievement, status, and acceptance of interpersonal inequality. For men, this association was partially mediated by vertical individualism and intolerance of uncertainty. The paper is BMC Psychology.
Problematic use of generative AI refers to patterns of excessive, poorly controlled, or harmful engagement with generative AI tools that cause significant difficulties in a person’s daily life. This may include spending too much time interacting with AI systems, repeatedly using AI systems despite negative consequences, or feeling unable to reduce the use of AI systems.
People who have trouble using generative AI may become overly dependent on it for work, study, decision-making, creativity, social interaction, or emotional support. Such use can interfere with academic performance, professional responsibilities, relationships, sleep, and other important activities. Some may increasingly rely on AI to avoid difficult tasks, uncertainty, boredom, loneliness, and unpleasant emotions. Problematic use may also include compulsive checking, repeated instructions, or persistent engagement, similar to other forms of problematic digital technology use.
Another concern is cognitive overreliance. Users will increasingly delegate thinking, writing, problem solving, and judgment to AI systems, and will be less motivated to perform these activities independently. Problematic use does not simply mean frequent use. Because intensive use of AI can be adaptive and productive, as long as it remains controlled and does not cause dysfunction. Although the concept is still nascent, the term is most often used to describe uses of AI that are characterized by impaired control, impairment, psychological dependence, or continued engagement despite meaningful negative consequences.
Study author and assistant professor at Turkey’s Düzce University, Kagan Kurkabulun, investigated the relationship between dark personality traits and problematic use of generative AI. He was particularly interested in exploring the possible mediating role of cultural orientations of individualism and intolerance of uncertainty in this relationship. He pointed out that while previous studies have already linked problematic technology use to dark personality traits, only one recent study has specifically investigated the relationship between those traits and problematic use of generative AI.
He conducted an online survey through Prolific. Participants were 677 people who reported active use of generative artificial intelligence. The average age was approximately 40 years, and half were male.
The survey included assessments of problematic use of generative AI (Problematic GAI Use Scale, an adaptation of items from scales designed to measure problematic use of conversational artificial intelligence), intolerance of uncertainty (Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale), individualistic orientation (Individualism and Collectivism Scale), and dark personality traits (Dark Triad Dirty Dozen Scale and Short Sadistic Impulse). scale).
Dark personality traits are sociophobic traits associated with self-interest, manipulation, emotional coldness, and disregard for others. There are four of them: Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism. Machiavellianism involves strategic manipulation, cynicism, and a willingness to exploit people to achieve personal goals. Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, a strong desire for admiration, and sensitivity to threats to self-image. Psychopathy includes callousness, low empathy, impulsivity, and limited remorse. Sadism makes it easier for people to derive pleasure and satisfaction from humiliating, hurting, or dominating others.
The results showed that participants who made more pronounced problematic uses of generative AI tended to be slightly higher in narcissism and slightly higher in Machiavellianism and sadism. More pronounced problematic use of generative AI was also associated with higher intolerance of uncertainty and higher vertical individualism.
Intolerance of uncertainty is the tendency to find uncertain or unpredictable situations distressing and to react negatively to not knowing what will happen. Vertical individualism is a cultural orientation that values individual independence and competition while accepting inequalities in status, achievement, and power.
Further analysis showed that among women, vertical individualism fully mediated the relationship between problematic generative AI use and narcissism. For men, vertical individualism and intolerance of uncertainty partially mediated the relationship. The study authors argue that narcissism leads to more pronounced vertical individualism, and that this pronounced vertical individualism predisposes individuals to problematic use of generative AI.
“Overall, the findings of this study highlight the central role of processes related to individualistic values and uncertainty in explaining how dark personality traits contribute to PGAIU (problematic use of generative AI),” the study authors concluded.
This study contributes to scientific understanding of problematic uses of generative AI. Note, however, that the study design did not allow for causal inferences from the results. Additionally, all data were based on self-report, leaving open the possibility that reporting bias may have influenced the results. Finally, the average level of problematic AI use in this sample was relatively low, so this finding may reflect variation in general engagement rather than clinically significant problematic use.
This paper “Dark Tetrad Characteristics and Problematic Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence: The Mediating Role of Individualism and Uncertainty Intolerance Series” was authored by Kağan Kırcaburun.
