Your choice, your team: psychological ownership and AI decision-making

Abstract

Purpose This study examines how psychological ownership influences user satisfaction in artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted decision-making contexts within sport consumption. While prior research has focused primarily on algorithmic accuracy and outcome quality, it has paid limited attention to users' perceived agency during the decision-making process. This study addresses this gap by investigating the role of autonomy and psychological ownership in shaping consumer responses. Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 experimental design was conducted using a fantasy sport decision-making scenario. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions manipulating decision autonomy and AI involvement. Data were analyzed using regression-based moderation analysis. Findings Results revealed a suppression pattern in which self-selection increased psychological ownership, producing a positive indirect effect on satisfaction, while its direct effect on satisfaction was negative. These opposing effects resulted in a nonsignificant total effect. Originality/value This study extends psychological ownership theory into AI-supported sport consumption contexts by demonstrating that decision agency can generate both psychological benefits through increased ownership and satisfaction costs through a negative direct pathway. The findings contribute to both sport consumer behavior literature and emerging research on human–AI interaction.