In a short period of time, generative artificial intelligences such as ChatGPT have become a widely used support tool for students' learning processes, altering how many approach academic tasks.
Their immediacy and accessibility make them attractive alternatives to traditional study resources, to the extent that some students may have even developed a certain degree of dependence on these tools.
The present study investigates the impact of learning motivation and procrastination on ChatGPT dependence. A total of 467 university students from the field of education participated by completing a series of validated scales measuring different types of motivation defined in Self-Determination Theory (extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, and amotivation), procrastination, and ChatGPT dependence.
The indirect effects of the mediation analyses revealed that students with lower levels of intrinsic motivation (β = -.076; LL = -.121; UL = -.037) and higher levels of amotivation (β = .090; LL = .041; UL = .144) were more likely to procrastinate frequently, with procrastination emerging as a significant factor contributing to greater ChatGPT dependence.
Similarly, results indicated that students with high extrinsic motivation (without procrastination serving as a mediator) were more prone to develop greater dependence on ChatGPT (β = .122; p = .022).
These findings highlight the importance of implementing strategies that foster intrinsic motivation and self-regulation, helping students use generative AI-based tools appropriately while developing essential competencies that could be at risk from excessive use of these tools, such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
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How to Cite: Galindo-Domínguez, H., Sainz-de-la-Maza, M., Campo, L., & Losada-Iglesias, D. (2026). The influence of learning motivation and procrastination on ChatGPT dependence. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 29(1), 217–240. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.45497
