Between minds and machines: a study on differences in acceptance and anxiety towards AI across personality traits and culture
Carolina Bulas Cesário Geraldes Figueira · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · 2025
The objective of this research is to understand how Personality Traits and Culture differ in the acceptance of and anxiety towards the use of Artificial Intelligence tools, with a focus on ChatGPT. Based on an integrative model, the study analyses the Big Five and Dark Triad Personality Traits, as well as the cultural dimension Collectivism vs. Individualism, in shaping perceptions and use of AI. The results indicate that AI acceptance is higher among individuals with high levels of Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness, while anxiety is more pronounced among participants with high levels of Neuroticism. Within the Dark Triad, Machiavellianism and Narcissism showed positive associations with AI acceptance, suggesting a pragmatic and self-benefit-oriented approach. Culture also played a significant role: participants from Collectivist contexts showed greater receptivity and more positive attitudes toward AI, particularly regarding cooperation and social benefits. Overall, the results show that AI adoption is a psychosocial process with a strong cultural orientation rather than a merely technical one. The study reinforces the importance of adapting AI implementation and communication strategies to different psychological profiles and cultural contexts, thereby promoting the ethical, responsible, and sustainable integration of these technologies in academic and professional environments.