{"id":1627,"date":"2025-06-04T09:45:47","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T08:45:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/?p=1627"},"modified":"2026-02-16T08:47:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T08:47:23","slug":"why-your-brain-makes-genai-ethics-harder-than-it-should-be-and-what-to-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/06\/04\/why-your-brain-makes-genai-ethics-harder-than-it-should-be-and-what-to-do-about-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Why your brain makes GenAI ethics harder than it should be (and what to do about it)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>A psychological perspective on academic integrity in the age of artificial intelligence<\/h2>\n<p>Let us talk about something that is probably been on your mind lately: using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools like Copilot for your work. If you are feeling confused about where the ethical lines are drawn, you are not alone. There is some fascinating psychology behind why these decisions feel so complicated and understanding it might help you navigate these murky waters more confidently.<\/p>\n<h2>The social learning maze we're all in<\/h2>\n<p>Here is the thing: we learn what is \"normal\" by watching others. Right now, you are probably picking up mixed signals everywhere. Maybe you have heard a friend casually mention using GenAI to \"brainstorm ideas\" for an assignment, while another insists, they would never touch it. Perhaps you have heard a lecturer mention GenAI tools positively in one context, then warn against them in another. Your brain is trying to piece together the social norms from these scattered observations, and frankly, it is a bit of a mess out there.<\/p>\n<p>This is what psychologists call observational learning. We are constantly watching and learning from the behaviour of people around us. But when the environment is sending mixed messages, which it is with GenAI right now, our internal moral compass can get a bit wobbly.<\/p>\n<h2>Your brain's sneaky justification tricks<\/h2>\n<p>Ever caught yourself thinking something like \"Well, it is not really cheating if I am just using it to check my grammar\" or \"Everyone else is probably doing it anyway\"? Welcome to what psychologist Albert Bandura called \"moral disengagement\", the mental gymnastics we do to justify behaviours that might not align with our values.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some common mental tricks your brain might be playing on you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Euphemism Game: Calling GenAI use \"research assistance\" or \"brainstorming support\" when you know it is doing more heavy lifting than that. Words matter, and sometimes we use softer language to make ourselves feel better about questionable choices.<\/li>\n<li>The Comparison Trap: \"At least I am not having it write my entire essay like some people probably are.\" Just because someone else might be doing something worse does not automatically make your choice ethical.<\/li>\n<li>The Blame Shift: \"The university has not given us clear enough guidelines, so how am I supposed to know?\" While the <a href=\"https:\/\/unihub.bath.ac.uk\/s\/myskills\/videos\/detail\/280\">University's policies and guidelines regarding the use of GenAI<\/a> helps, uncertainty does not eliminate our responsibility to think ethically and act responsibly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>When self-regulation goes wrong<\/h2>\n<p>You know that little voice in your head that usually keeps you on track? That is your self-regulatory system at work. But here is the problem: it works best when the rules are clear and consistent. With GenAI, we are in uncharted territory, and your internal monitoring system might be struggling.<\/p>\n<p>Think about it, you have probably internalised clear rules about traditional plagiarism, but what about when GenAI is involved? If you're feeling uncertain, your self-regulation system does not have solid ground to stand on. Add in the stress of deadlines, pressure for grades, and the convenience of GenAI tools, and it is easy to see how even well-intentioned students might make choices they later regret.<\/p>\n<h2>So, what can you actually do?<\/h2>\n<p>Get clear on your own values: Before you even open that GenAI tool, ask yourself what kind of student you want to be. What feels authentic to your learning journey? Sometimes the most ethical choice is not about following rules perfectly, it's about staying true to your educational goals.<\/p>\n<h3>Seek out the models<\/h3>\n<p>Look for examples of how people you respect are handling GenAI. Maybe that is a particular lecturer or peer who seems to be assured around GenAI usage. Do not just watch what they do, ask them about their reasoning.<\/p>\n<h3>Practice ethical decision-making<\/h3>\n<p>Next time you are tempted to use GenAI in a contentious area, pause and work through the decision consciously. What are your motivations? What would happen if everyone made the same choice? How would you feel explaining your decision to someone you respect?<\/p>\n<h3>Strengthen your self-monitoring<\/h3>\n<p>Get better at catching yourself in the moment. When you are about to use GenAI, take a beat and ask: \"Am I using this because it genuinely helps my learning, or because I am trying to take a shortcut?\"<\/p>\n<h3>Embrace the uncertainty<\/h3>\n<p>Here is a radical thought, it is okay not to have all the answers right now. The ethical landscape around GenAI is evolving rapidly, and even experts are figuring it out as they go. What matters is that you are engaging thoughtfully with these questions rather than ignoring them.<\/p>\n<h2>The bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>You are not alone if you are finding GenAI ethics complicated, your brain is actually working exactly as it should in a genuinely complex situation. The key is being aware of the psychological processes at play and making conscious choices rather than just going with the flow.<\/p>\n<p>Remember, the goal is not to avoid GenAI entirely, it is probably too late for that anyway, but to use it in ways that support rather than undermine your education. The students who figure this out thoughtfully now will be better positioned for whatever comes next in our AI-integrated world.<\/p>\n<p>Your future self, and your integrity, will thank you for taking the time to think this through properly.<\/p>\n<p>Still feeling stuck on a specific GenAI ethics dilemma? <a href=\"https:\/\/unihub.bath.ac.uk\/s\/myskills\/Workflows\/Detail\/264\">MySkills Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)<\/a> and your personal tutor or lecturer are great resources for exploring further. Remember, asking for guidance isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of maturity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A psychological perspective on academic integrity in the age of artificial intelligence Let us talk about something that is probably been on your mind lately: using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools like Copilot for your work. If you are feeling...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":1056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42,91,89,61,43,342],"tags":[344,285,46,125,358,288,287,340],"class_list":["post-1627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-integrity","category-academic-skills","category-critical-thinking","category-digital-skills","category-ethical-scholar","category-genai","tag-academic-integrity","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-critical-thinking","tag-digital-wellbeing","tag-ethics","tag-genai","tag-generative-artificial-intelligence","tag-microsoft-copilot"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1053,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2023\/09\/18\/how-to-navigate-generative-artificial-intelligence-genai-tools-with-confidence-and-integrity\/","url_meta":{"origin":1627,"position":0},"title":"How to navigate Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools with confidence and integrity","author":"Kevin Renfrew","date":"September 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly, and new Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools like Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, Elicit, Perplexity, and Bard are now easily accessible online. As university students, how can you incorporate these emerging technologies into your studies and campus life confidently and responsibly? Here are some guiding principles.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic integrity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic integrity","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-integrity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A series of three stylised Generative Artificial Intelligence illustrations: 1) A circular blue tech-inspired pattern with concentric rings and digital elements. 2) A dark and light blue illustration showing a robotic figure reaching out of a laptop computer to access GenAI. 3) A blue robotic hand reaching out to a human hand, suggesting connection or assistance.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1226,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2024\/06\/03\/bias-proof-your-genai-strategies-to-mitigate-algorithmic-and-human-biases\/","url_meta":{"origin":1627,"position":1},"title":"Navigating the GenAI Landscape: From Bias to Prompts: Key Insights and Strategies for Student","author":"Kevin Renfrew","date":"June 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As the University embraces the power of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), we've taken proactive steps to equip you with the knowledge and skills to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. Over the last month, using the University of Bath Instagram account we've conducted a series of Instagram Quiz and Poll Stories,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic integrity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic integrity","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-integrity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A series of three stylised Generative Artificial Intelligence illustrations: 1) A circular blue tech-inspired pattern with concentric rings and digital elements. 2) A dark and light blue illustration showing a robotic figure reaching out of a laptop computer to access GenAI. 3) A blue robotic hand reaching out to a human hand, suggesting connection or assistance.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1535,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/04\/15\/mastering-genai-your-personal-development-roadmap-bath\/","url_meta":{"origin":1627,"position":2},"title":"Mastering GenAI: Your Personal Development Roadmap @Bath","author":"Kevin Renfrew","date":"April 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Understanding our approach: Miller's Pyramid Before we dive in, let's talk about the framework behind this guide. We're using Miller's Pyramid, a groundbreaking model originally developed by George Miller in 1990 for medical education. Developing knowledge and competencies in new technologies can be challenging, which is why this powerful framework\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic integrity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic integrity","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-integrity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Miller Pyramid for GenAI Competencies in Higher Education. The pyramid shows progression from novice to expert along the vertical axis labeled 'Professional authenticity' and is divided into four sections representing Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes. From bottom to top: 1) Base level (pink): 'Knows' corresponds to 'Know the Basics (Fact Gathering)'; 2) Second level (yellow): 'Knows How' corresponds to 'Apply Your Knowledge (Interpretation)'; 3) Third level (dark blue): 'Shows How' corresponds to 'Demonstrate Your Skills (Controlled Practice)'; 4) Top level (teal): 'Does' corresponds to 'Real-World Application (Authentic Practice)'. The graphic illustrates how students develop GenAI competencies from basic knowledge acquisition to authentic application in real-world contexts","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/04\/Graphic-Miller-Pyramid-for-GenAI-Competencies-in-HE.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/04\/Graphic-Miller-Pyramid-for-GenAI-Competencies-in-HE.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/04\/Graphic-Miller-Pyramid-for-GenAI-Competencies-in-HE.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/04\/Graphic-Miller-Pyramid-for-GenAI-Competencies-in-HE.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1462,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/02\/10\/finding-your-balance-navigating-academic-anxiety-with-genai-tools\/","url_meta":{"origin":1627,"position":3},"title":"Finding Your Balance: Navigating Academic Anxiety with GenAI Tools","author":"Kevin Renfrew","date":"February 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Let's talk about something that's probably familiar to many of you, that knot in your stomach before a big presentation, the late-night worry about dissertation deadlines, or the overwhelming feeling when you're staring at a blank page that's supposed to become your next essay. You're not alone in this. Academic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic integrity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic integrity","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-integrity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A series of three stylised Generative Artificial Intelligence illustrations: 1) A circular blue tech-inspired pattern with concentric rings and digital elements. 2) A dark and light blue illustration showing a robotic figure reaching out of a laptop computer to access GenAI. 3) A blue robotic hand reaching out to a human hand, suggesting connection or assistance.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1542,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/04\/24\/student-guidance-on-the-ethical-and-legal-use-of-genai\/","url_meta":{"origin":1627,"position":4},"title":"Student Guidance on the Ethical and Legal use of GenAI","author":"Kevin Renfrew","date":"April 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) presents both opportunities and challenges for students in higher education. GenAI tools are software applications that use artificial intelligence to generate content, such as text, images, or music, based on input data. Examples include large language models, such as GPT-4, image generators, and music composition tools.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Critical thinking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Critical thinking","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/capabilities-framework\/critical-thinking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A series of three stylised Generative Artificial Intelligence illustrations: 1) A circular blue tech-inspired pattern with concentric rings and digital elements. 2) A dark and light blue illustration showing a robotic figure reaching out of a laptop computer to access GenAI. 3) A blue robotic hand reaching out to a human hand, suggesting connection or assistance.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1691,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2025\/09\/26\/the-effort-paradox-and-genai-why-easy-isnt-always-better\/","url_meta":{"origin":1627,"position":5},"title":"The Effort Paradox and GenAI: Why easy is not always better","author":"Kevin Renfrew","date":"September 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The curious case of wanting what we avoid Picture this: You are facing a challenging assignment, and you have two options. Option A: Ask GenAI to write it for you- clean, fast, effortless. Option B: Use GenAI as a thinking partner to wrestle through the ideas yourself- messy, slow, demanding.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic integrity&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic integrity","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-integrity\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A series of three stylised Generative Artificial Intelligence illustrations: 1) A circular blue tech-inspired pattern with concentric rings and digital elements. 2) A dark and light blue illustration showing a robotic figure reaching out of a laptop computer to access GenAI. 3) A blue robotic hand reaching out to a human hand, suggesting connection or assistance.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/09\/GenAI-Info-page-banner.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/298"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1627\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}