Cognitive load partially mediates the relationship between AI-based educational technology use and critical thinking¶

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

Subclaims¶

q2 i? The indirect effect of AI use on critical thinking through cognitive load is statistically significant (B = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01–0.05), alongside a significant direct effect. → 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 · i? · associational · r2

PROCESS Model 14 mediation analysis with bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals based on 5,000 samples. The total effect was B = 0.17 and the direct effect B = 0.14, both significant; the article reports reduced cognitive load as the partial mediator.

"the indirect effect of AI use on critical thinking through cognitive load was found to be statistically significant [B = 0.03, SE= 0.01, 95% CI (0.01, 0.05)]. As the CI does not contain zero, this indicates that cognitive load partially mediates the relationship between the use of AI-based educational technology and critical thinking skills."

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 is negatively associated with critical thinking and with self-regulated learning — related
• Self-regulated learning moderates the indirect effect of AI use on critical thinking through cognitive load — related
• Self-regulated learning moderates the cognitive load–critical thinking relationship, buffering the negative effect of load — related
• Metacognitive self-regulation mediates the relationships between all three AI interaction mechanisms and both higher-order outcomes — related
• Affect, motivation, and cognitive load did not mediate the relationship between error condition and CVS learning — related