An Investigation of Writing Using ChatGPT Through McClelland’s Theory

Abstract

In the digital age, artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly used to support writing practices. Grounded in David McClelland‘s Theory of Needs (1965), this study explores writing strategies used by university students as well as their motivational needs to use ChatGPT. The study is based on the notion that by understanding what motivates students to write can inform teaching practice as well as how academic institutions currently expect students to use AI tools. This study employed a quantitative survey approach involving 150 undergraduate students from a public university in Malaysia. The instrument consisted of a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire containing 43 items adapted from established studies on writing strategies and ChatGPT usage. The adapted instrument demonstrated satisfactory validity and strong internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from .804 to .940. Findings reveal statistically significant differences in the needs of writers by gender (p = 0.005) but not by discipline (p = 0.085). This indicated that all three motivational needs were positively met by the students, showing moderate high levels of engagement. The Need for Achievement had strong positive correlations with Need for Power (r =. 602, p <. in the Present, Need for Autonomy (r = 01) and Affiliation (r =. 568, p <. 01). These results imply that achievement-oriented students are also more likely to self-regulate their effort and socialise with writing behaviour of others, which indicates an inter-related motivational profile. This study has large implications for writing teachers, and curriculum developers, suggesting that the interplay between motivational needs and AI tool usage should be considered when designing writing instruction.