AI-Mediated Control–Value Appraisal and Emotional Experiences: A Socio-Technical Extension of Generalized Control–Value Theory
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Author(s)
Yu Liu 1
Affiliation(s)
1 Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA, 94105, USA
Corresponding Author
Yu LiuABSTRACT
In the era of AI-assisted learning, academic attention to learners' emotional experiences has rapidly increased. Existing research primarily views AI as an external influence (e.g., a risk, motivator, or facilitator), and focuses mainly on individual-level cognitive mechanisms. However, few studies have addressed how AI-assisted environments shape the construction of control and value appraisals underlying emotional experiences. This paper proposes that AI-assisted environments play a structural mediating role in the construction of control and value appraisals, thus extending Generalized Control-Value Theory (GCVT) to the socio-technical field. Specifically, we argue that AI influences these assessments by introducing distributed agency, AI-mediated expectations, and AI-assisted cognition into the formation of control appraisal and the structural reorganization of intrinsic and extrinsic value appraisal. Combining evidence from AI research, cognitive science, and experimental studies, we propose a comprehensive conceptual framework that elucidates how AI contributes to the construction of control and value appraisals, ultimately influencing emotional experiences. This framework positions AI as part of the emotion generating mechanism rather than merely an external situational factor, thus deepening our understanding of emotions in AI-driven digital environments and making it more contextually sensitive and socio-technically grounded. Furthermore, this framework provides theoretical insights for educational psychology and points to future research directions for AI-supported learning systems.
KEYWORDS
Generalized control-value theory (GCVT), artificial intelligence (AI), appraisal construction, emotional experiencesCITE THIS PAPER
Yu Liu. AI-Mediated Control–Value Appraisal and Emotional Experiences: A Socio-Technical Extension of Generalized Control–Value Theory. Applied & Educational Psychology (2026). Vol. 7, No.1, 21-28. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/appep.2026.070104.
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