{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T05:01:08Z","timestamp":1790830868843,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":16,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790812800000},"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>While AI-generated training recommendations may enhance the scientific rigor of competitive sports training, their use may also be associated with athletes\u2019 autonomy in interpreting bodily states and making training decisions. Drawing on cognitive offloading theory, self-determination theory, and the appropriate reliance framework, this study examined a serial association model linking AI training recommendation dependence, body signal outsourcing tendency, reduced sense of self-regulation, training decision hesitation, and reduced training self-efficacy.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Cross-sectional questionnaire data were collected from 381 athletes. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling, bootstrap analyses of indirect associations, and multigroup analyses comparing athletes in physical-dominant and skill-dominant sports.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>AI training recommendation dependence was significantly and positively associated with body signal outsourcing tendency, which was, in turn, positively associated with a reduced sense of self-regulation. A reduced sense of self-regulation was positively associated with training decision hesitation, which was further positively associated with reduced training self-efficacy. Bootstrap analyses identified a significant serial indirect association between AI training recommendation dependence and reduced training self-efficacy through body signal outsourcing tendency, reduced sense of self-regulation, and training decision hesitation. Multigroup analyses further indicated that the positive association between AI training recommendation dependence and body signal outsourcing tendency was stronger among athletes in physical-dominant sports than among those in skill-dominant sports.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings reveal a continuous pattern of statistical associations linking AI training recommendation dependence with body signal outsourcing tendency, reduced sense of self-regulation, training decision hesitation, and reduced training self-efficacy. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining athletes\u2019 bodily awareness and capacity for autonomous decision-making when integrating AI-generated recommendations into competitive sports training.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1918082","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T04:41:43Z","timestamp":1790829703000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Association pathways between AI training recommendation dependence and athletes\u2019 psychological characteristics related to autonomous judgment"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Xiaogan","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education, Taihu University of Wuxi","place":["Wuxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control","author":"Bandura","year":"1997"},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training","author":"Bompa","year":"2009"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1207\/S15327965PLI1104_01","article-title":"The \u201cwhat\u201d and \u201cwhy\u201d of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior","volume":"11","author":"Deci","year":"2000","journal-title":"Psychol. Inq."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1177\/002224378101800104","article-title":"Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error","volume":"18","author":"Fornell","year":"1981","journal-title":"J. Mark. Res."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"Article 6","DOI":"10.3390\/soc15010006","article-title":"AI tools in society: impacts on cognitive offloading and the future of critical thinking","volume":"15","author":"Gerlich","year":"2025","journal-title":"Societies"},{"key":"ref6","volume-title":"Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional process Analysis: A Regression-based Approach","author":"Hayes","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling","author":"Kline","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.3390\/s25010139","article-title":"Empowering the sports scientist with artificial intelligence in training, performance, and health management","volume":"25","author":"Mateus","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2516","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics14222516","article-title":"Diagnostic applications of AI in sports: a comprehensive review of injury risk prediction methods","volume":"14","author":"Musat","year":"2024","journal-title":"Diagnostics"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7254","DOI":"10.3390\/app15137254","article-title":"The role of artificial intelligence in sports analytics: a systematic review and meta-analysis of performance trends","volume":"15","author":"Pietraszewski","year":"2025","journal-title":"Appl. Sci."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.88.5.879","article-title":"Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies","volume":"88","author":"Podsakoff","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101083","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bjpt.2024.101083","article-title":"Artificial intelligence and machine-learning approaches in sports: concepts, applications, challenges, and future perspectives","volume":"28","author":"Reis","year":"2024","journal-title":"Braz. J. Phys. Ther."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"676","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2016.07.002","article-title":"Cognitive offloading","volume":"20","author":"Risko","year":"2016","journal-title":"Trends Cogn. Sci."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1521\/978.14625\/28806","volume-title":"Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness","author":"Ryan","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref15","first-page":"410","author":"Schemmer","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1261","DOI":"10.1613\/jair.1.15873","article-title":"AI reliance and decision quality: fundamentals, interdependence, and the effects of interventions","volume":"82","author":"Schoeffer","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Artif. Intell. Res."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1918082\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T04:41:56Z","timestamp":1790829716000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1918082\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"references-count":16,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1918082"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1918082","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"article-number":"1918082"}}