EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND RESPONSIBLE GENERATIVE AI ENGAGEMENT AMONG HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

Abstract

The growing presence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in higher education is reshaping how students access, interpret, and produce academic knowledge. However, the educational value of these technologies depends not merely on their availability but also on how thoughtfully and responsibly students engage with them. Decisions concerning the acceptance of AI-generated information, the evaluation of its accuracy, and the extent of reliance placed on such outputs involve personal judgement, emotional regulation, and a sense of academic responsibility. These considerations bring emotional intelligence (EI) into focus as a potentially relevant psychological dimension of students’ engagement with GenAI. This study examined the relationship between EI and responsible GenAI engagement among higher education students. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, involving 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students in Assam, India, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using EI and Responsible GenAI Engagement scales, which demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .89 and .91, respectively). Pearson’s correlation revealed a significant positive relationship between EI and responsible GenAI engagement (r = .57, p< .001). Regression analysis showed that EI significantly predicted responsible GenAI engagement, explaining 32.1% of the variance (R² = .321, p< .001). The findings suggest that EI is positively associated with students’ responsible engagement with GenAI.