Impact of ChatGPT Acceptance on Critical Thinking Disposition among College Students in Butuan City: A Basis for Module Development

The rapid integration of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in higher education has raised concerns about its role in shaping college students’ thinking processes. This study investigates whether ChatGPT Acceptance translates into stronger Critical Thinking Disposition among college students in Butuan City and examines which dimensions of ChatGPT Acceptance contribute to this outcome. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 359 students selected through stratified random sampling across three higher education institutions. Measures included ChatGPT Acceptance—perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, intrinsic motivation, and behavioral intention, and Critical Thinking Dispositions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rho, and multiple linear regression. Findings revealed high levels of both ChatGPT Acceptance (M = 4.12) and Critical Thinking Disposition (M = 3.66). However, the correlation analysis indicated a very weak, non-significant relationship between the two constructs (ρ ≈ .067), suggesting that widespread ChatGPT Acceptance does not automatically translate into critical thinking. Notably, regression results demonstrated that only perceived ease of use significantly predicted Critical Thinking Disposition (B = 0.177, p < .001), accounting for 4.2% of the variance, while perceived usefulness, intrinsic motivation, and behavioral intention were not significant predictors. These findings challenge the idea that acceptance alone does not foster growth in critical thinking disposition. Instead, suggest reconceptualizing AI integration as a pedagogically mediated process. In response, this study advances a structured instructional intervention, ChatGPT-Assisted Training for Critical Thinking Disposition, designed to transform passive ChatGPT use into guided, cognitively engaging learning experiences.