Understanding AI Anxiety in the Workplace: A Multimethod Investigation Using Fear Acquisition Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model

Research drawing on Integrated Fear Acquisition Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model investigates the psychological mechanisms behind AI job replacement anxiety. The study explores whether anxiety can be generated through indirect exposure to narratives emphasizing AI control over humans and how perceived usefulness and ease of use of AI might influence this response. It posits that anxiety emerges from vicarious exposure rather than direct personal experience.

Why it matters

Understanding the psychological mechanisms of AI anxiety is critical for managing workforce transitions and ensuring successful AI integration. Insights into how vicarious exposure influences anxiety can inform strategies for communication and training, mitigating resistance and fostering constructive engagement with AI technologies.

Key insights

• The research aims to understand the psychological mechanisms of AI job replacement anxiety.
• It investigates whether AI job replacement anxiety can be elicited through vicarious exposure to narratives emphasizing AI-over-human control.
• The study considers the moderating roles of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of AI.
• The core hypothesis is that anxiety regarding AI job replacement stems from indirect exposure to narratives, not necessarily direct personal experience.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.14609