Psychological Predictors of the Intention to Use AI: The Role of Attitudes, Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, Trust and Personality in a TAM3-Based Study in Guatemala

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has become increasingly relevant in everyday life, yet empirical evidence from non-WEIRD countries remains limited. This thesis examined psychological factors associated with the general intention to use AI in Guatemala using the Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3) as a guiding framework. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 351 participants residing in Guatemala (69.5% women, 30.5% men), including university students and working professionals. The study examined whether core acceptance variables, psychological factors, and prior experience were associated with intention to use AI. Pearson correlations, multiple regression analyses, as well as mediation and moderation analyses were conducted. Results indicate that intention to use AI was most closely related to perceived usefulness, attitudes, and prior experience. In line with this pattern, psychological factors appeared to shape how AI was evaluated. By contrast, personality traits showed limited and inconsistent associations that did not retain explanatory power once psychological and experiential factors were considered. Overall, the findings are consistent with the continued relevance of established technology acceptance mechanisms for understanding AI adoption in a non-WEIRD context. Experience together with proximal psychological factors emerge as central influences on AI use.