Effects of AIGC Design on Thinking Patterns and Cognitive Resource Allocation
Description
This study compared AIGC-assisted design and digital freehand design in terms of thinking patterns, cognitive resource allocation, and creative performance. A between-subjects experiment was conducted using eye tracking, Linkography, NASA-TLX, and the Creative Product Semantic Scale. The results showed that AIGC-assisted design increased the frequency of design moves and the diversity of cognitive links while reducing cognitive workload during selected stages of the design process. During design development, participants using AIGC demonstrated faster cycles of viewing, comparing, and selecting alternatives. Their final outcomes received higher scores for novelty and style, whereas no significant difference was found in resolution. These findings suggest that AIGC does not simply reduce design activity but shifts part of the designer’s role from direct production toward the evaluation, selection, and integration of generated alternatives. The data may be used to examine cognitive processes, visual-search behavior, and creative performance in AIGC-assisted design.