{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T09:32:56Z","timestamp":1787823176914,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774224000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Speaking anxiety and limited opportunities for spontaneous English interaction remain persistent constraints for many EFL learners in Middle Eastern university settings. This interpretive qualitative study examines how a reflection-enhanced AI speaking design shapes learners' affect, motivation, and future self-concepts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Twenty-five Jordanian undergraduates completed a 12-week module in which they practiced weekly speaking with ChatGPT in voice mode (official interface; model label recorded at the time of use). A fixed system prompt configured a supportive, non-judgmental speaking partner, introduced the weekly topic, and triggered two brief in-task reflective questions. Data comprised weekly reflective journals, semi-structured interviews, and saved interaction transcripts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified three patterned orientations in learners' accounts and interaction traces: initial curiosity with cautious engagement, increasing emotional regulation and psychological safety during speaking, and strengthened future-oriented identity work linking present effort to imagined competent English-speaking selves.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Interpreted through cyborg psychology and complementary motivational frameworks, these findings suggest that embedding reflection into human-AI dialogue can support willingness to communicate and identity-related development alongside speaking practice.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1786617","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T06:43:49Z","timestamp":1774248229000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["AI as a reflective partner in EFL speaking: a qualitative study informed by cyborg psychology"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Hesham","family":"Aldamen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of English Language and Literature, The University of Jordan","place":["Amman, Jordan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohamad","family":"Almashour","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of English Language and Literature, The University of Jordan","place":["Amman, Jordan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mutasim","family":"Al-Deaibes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of English, American University of Sharjah","place":["Sharjah, United Arab Emirates"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rami","family":"Alsharefeen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Academic Affairs, Rabdan Academy","place":["Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1614680","DOI":"10.3389\/feduc.2025.1614680","article-title":"Testing Krashen's input hypothesis with AI: a mixed-methods study on reading input and oral proficiency in EFL","volume":"10","author":"Aldamen","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. 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