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Journals / Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 64 Sayı: 64

Uncanny Valley of Artificial Intelligence: Primary School Students' Fears of AI Attributing Human Characteristics

Yapay Zekanın Tekinsiz Vadisi: İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Yapay Zekânın İnsan Özellikleri Atfetmesinden Kaynaklanan Korkuları

Muhammet Fatih Doğan(YILDIZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-1530-5195
Pages
146–167
Publication Date
2026-06-27
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Findings indicate that students perceive AI not merely as a functional technological tool, but rather as an infallible, human-like competitor.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:This qualitative study systematically investigates the artificial intelligence (AI) fears of primary school students through the conceptual lens of the “Uncanny Valley” theory.
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Key Findings & Data:As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into modern educational environments, understanding their profound psychological impact on young learners is fundamentally crucial.
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Conclusion & Impact:Findings indicate that students perceive AI not merely as a functional technological tool, but rather as an infallible, human-like competitor.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:YZ korkusu · YZ kaygısı · antropomorfizm

Abstract

This qualitative study systematically investigates the artificial intelligence (AI) fears of primary school students through the conceptual lens of the “Uncanny Valley” theory. As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into modern educational environments, understanding their profound psychological impact on young learners is fundamentally crucial. Employing a rigorous grounded theory design, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight students aged 10 to 11 to thoroughly explore their underlying perceptions. The data analysis revealed that students' anxieties regarding AI are primarily concentrated within three distinct themes: omniscience, permanent memory, and autonomous evolution. Findings indicate that students perceive AI not merely as a functional technological tool, but rather as an infallible, human-like competitor. This specific perception triggers profound anxieties concerning severe existential threats, the permanent loss of privacy, and an inevitable loss of human control over technology. Consequently, the study concludes that children experience a unique “Uncanny Valley of Mind”; their intense apprehension stems from the hyperrealistic cognitive capabilities of AI rather than its physical appearance. To effectively mitigate these complex anxieties, the study strongly recommends implementing comprehensive, multidimensional AI literacy programmes within schools. These targeted educational interventions must focus on demystifying the statistical nature of AI, highlighting its inherent limitations, and promoting human-centric pedagogical designs that prioritise uniquely human competencies over algorithmic outputs.

Özet

Bu nitel çalışma, ilkokul öğrencilerinin yapay zekâ (YZ) korkularını “Tekinsiz Vadi” teorisinin kavramsal merceğinden sistematik olarak incelemektedir. YZ teknolojileri modern eğitim ortamlarına giderek daha fazla entegre oldukça, bunların genç öğrenciler üzerindeki derin psikolojik etkilerini anlamak temel bir önem taşımaktadır. Titiz bir gömülü teori deseni kullanılarak, öğrencilerin altta yatan algılarını derinlemesine keşfetmek amacıyla 10-11 yaş arası sekiz öğrenciyle derinlemesine görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veri analizi, öğrencilerin YZ'ye ilişkin kaygılarının temel olarak üç belirgin temada yoğunlaştığını ortaya koymuştur: her şeyi bilme, kalıcı hafıza ve otonom gelişim. Bulgular, öğrencilerin YZ'yi yalnızca işlevsel bir teknolojik araç olarak değil, aksine kusursuz, insan benzeri bir rakip olarak algıladıklarını göstermektedir. Bu özgül algı; ciddi varoluşsal tehditler, mahremiyetin kalıcı olarak yitirilmesi ve teknoloji üzerindeki insan kontrolünün kaçınılmaz kaybına ilişkin derin kaygıları tetiklemektedir. Sonuç olarak çalışma, çocukların kendilerine özgü bir "Zihnin Tekinsiz Vadisi" deneyimledikleri; yaşadıkları yoğun endişenin YZ'nin fiziksel görünümünden ziyade hiper-gerçekçi bilişsel kapasitelerinden kaynaklandığı sonucuna varmaktadır. Bu karmaşık kaygıları etkili bir şekilde hafifletmek için çalışma, okullarda kapsamlı ve çok boyutlu YZ okuryazarlığı programlarının uygulanmasını güçlü bir şekilde önermektedir. Hedeflenen bu eğitimsel müdahaleler, YZ'nin istatistiksel doğasını gizemden arındırmaya, doğasında var olan sınırlılıkları vurgulamaya ve algoritmik çıktılar yerine insana özgü yetkinlikleri önceliklendiren insan odaklı pedagojik tasarımları teşvik etmeye odaklanmalıdır.

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Cite This Article

Doğan, M. F. (2026). Uncanny Valley of Artificial Intelligence: Primary School Students' Fears of AI Attributing Human Characteristics. Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 64 Sayı: 64, 146–167. https://doi.org/10.15285/maruaebd.1744148

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