Keywords
Trust; Artificial intelligence; Search engines; Situational trust; Autonomy
Abstract
Utilizing a repeated measure design, this experiment analyzes users’ perceptions of artificial intelligence embedded within search engines compared to traditional linked search engines in various contextual situations. The purpose of this study is to find the differences in confidence for differing search methods and the variables of trust that lead to these perceived differences. Using screenshots of AI overview search results and linked search results, we asked participants questions of confidence and human-computer trust to gauge their perceptions of the varying search methods. We find evidence of a significant interaction effect in confidence scores between the search method and the content of the search. There are differences in how users interact with search results depending on situational risk and individual factors of trust. This paper is one of the first to analyze how users interact with novel AI that is embedded in search engines and how that trust compares to the traditional search engine.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
McConnell, Daniel
College
College of Sciences
Department
Psychology
Thesis Discipline
Psychology
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
STARS Citation
Cordoves, Leilani J., "Users' Trust Perceptions of AI Search Results" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 261.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/261
Rights Statement
