低可持续性降低人工智能的接受意愿

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.1973

摘要/Abstract

摘要：

人工智能有助于生态环境治理和实现社会可持续发展, 但它也正以惊人的速度消耗着能源, 其产生的碳排放也影响着自然环境和人类生存。然而, 暂未有研究关注人工智能产生的环境问题以及人类对此的反应, 因此本研究探究了人机环境决策情境下, 人工智能的可持续性对使用意愿的影响方式、原因和边界条件。预研究采用问卷调查并结合ChatGPT生成的态度词, 考察了人们对人工智能环保系统的使用意愿和态度, 发现人们的使用意愿较高且态度积极。研究1在2个子研究中分别操纵了人工智能可持续性的感知(有vs.无), 并发现低可持续性组被试对人工智能的接受意愿更低, 而且对国家开展人工智能研究的支持度也更低。研究2改变可持续性的操纵方式(低vs.高), 再次通过实验重复了研究2的结果, 并且发现道德而非能动是影响可持续性和接受意愿的中介机制。研究3探索了这一影响可能存在的边界条件, 验证了个体亲环境态度的调节作用。研究结果为人工智能的社会治理提供了心理学依据, 也为人工智能和可持续发展的关系提供了新的启示。

关键词: 可持续性, 人工智能, 道德, 接受度

Abstract:

Climate change and environmental issues significantly impact human health and well-being, posing substantial challenges to global sustainable development. Addressing these challenges necessitates both immediate and long-term solutions. While climate change itself does not inherently elicit a moral response, potentially hindering public engagement in climate action, artificial intelligence (AI)—encompassing robots, algorithms, and models—emerges as a promising ally. AI’s ability to learn from experience, adapt to new inputs, and perform human-like tasks positions it as a critical tool in addressing environmental challenges.

However, AI presents a dual-edged impact on the environment. While it can support ecological governance and promote sustainability, its energy-intensive nature and associated carbon emissions may undermine the environment. This study investigates the environmental implications of AI, focusing on how perceptions of AI’s sustainability influence public acceptance and the underlying psychological mechanisms.

Drawing on prior research, we hypothesized that individuals tend to avoid using unsustainable AI due to perceptions of diminished morality and heightened dependency (i.e., lower perceived agency). To test this, we conducted five studies employing diverse methodologies and measures. A preliminary study used 14 words generated by ChatGPT to gauge public attitudes toward AI in environmental decision-making, revealing a generally favorable view of AI in environmental management. Study 1a and Study 1b experimentally manipulated perceptions of AI’s unsustainability, demonstrating that awareness of its high energy consumption and carbon emissions significantly reduces acceptance. Study 2 replicated these findings and identified morality—rather than dependency—as the mediating factor. Study 3 showed that pro-environmental attitudes significantly moderate the relationship between AI sustainability and its acceptance in environmental contexts.

In summary, this research highlights that while individuals are willing to collaborate with AI to address environmental challenges, their acceptance diminishes when AI is perceived as environmentally harmful. These findings underscore the critical importance of AI’s sustainability in achieving sustainable development goals.

Key words: sustainability, artificial intelligence, morality, acceptance

中图分类号:

B849: C91

魏心妮, 喻丰, 彭凯平. (2025). 低可持续性降低人工智能的接受意愿. 心理学报, 57(11), 1973-1987.

WEI Xinni, YU Feng, PENG Kaiping. (2025). Perceived unsustainability decreases acceptance of artificial intelligence. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 57(11), 1973-1987.

图/表 5

图1 研究2中道德和依从的中介作用注：*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; 图中系数值为标准回归系数。

图2 研究2中道德和依从的中介作用注：*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; 图中系数值为标准回归系数。

图3 亲环境态度对可持续和道德关系的调节作用

图4 亲环境态度对可持续和使用意愿关系的调节作用

图5 亲环境态度对可持续性和研究支持度关系的调节

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