Cognitive load is negatively associated with critical thinking and with self-regulated learning¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i3 Critical thinking correlates negatively with cognitive load (r = −0.19, p < 0.01), and cognitive load correlates negatively with self-regulated learning (r = −0.16, p < 0.05), while critical thinking correlates positively with self-regulated learning (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). → Arshad A 2026

Evidence¶

Arshad A 2026¶

Arshad A, Lone A, Arickswamy L, Hassan K, Alnaim AA and AlFarhan MF (2026) From AI use to critical thinking among medical students: a moderated mediation perspective on cognitive load and self-regulated learning. Front. Psychol. 17:1883053. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1883053

q2 · i3 · associational · r2

Pearson correlations in the same 480-student survey. Critical thinking correlated with self-regulated learning at "r = 0.62, p < 0.01"; cognitive load showed small negative correlations with critical thinking (r = −0.19) and self-regulated learning (r = −0.16).

"Critical thinking was negatively correlated with cognitive load (r =−0.19, p < 0.01), while positively correlated with self-regulated learning (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). Cognitive load also was found to have a small but statistically significant (r = −0.16,p <0.05) negative relationship with self-regulated learning."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Critical Thinking — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• AI-based educational technology use is positively associated with critical thinking among undergraduate medical students — related
• Cognitive load partially mediates the relationship between AI-based educational technology use and critical thinking — related
• Self-regulated learning moderates the cognitive load–critical thinking relationship, buffering the negative effect of load — related
• Self-reported extraneous cognitive load correlates negatively with germane load and with expected probability of success in an algebra task — related
• Self-reported intrinsic cognitive load correlates positively with anxiety and challenge and negatively with probability of success in an algebra task — related
• Self-regulated learning and critical AI evaluation promote effective AI use — related
• Cognitive offloading tendency is negatively associated with critical thinking, technical problem-solving, and metacognitive self-regulation — related
• Self-regulated learning moderates the indirect effect of AI use on critical thinking through cognitive load — related