ECL ratings also follow the complexity sequence, rising in the increasing condition and falling in the decreasing condition, though ECL was not manipulated¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i3 ECL ratings increased significantly across learning units in the increasing condition (F(1.80, 93.76) = 21.68, ηp² = 0.29). → Krieglstein 2025 q3 i3 ECL ratings decreased significantly across learning units in the decreasing condition (F(2, 92) = 44.68, ηp² = 0.49). → Krieglstein 2025

Evidence¶

Krieglstein 2025¶

Krieglstein, F., Beege, M., Wesenberg, L., Rey, G. D., & Schneider, S. (2025). The Distorting Influence of Primacy Effects on Reporting Cognitive Load in Learning Materials of Varying Complexity. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09980-0

q3 · i3 · causal · r2

Repeated-measures ANOVAs on during-learning ECL ratings. Increasing condition: F(1.80, 93.76) = 21.68, ηp² = 0.29 (Huynh–Feldt correction, ε = 0.87). Decreasing condition: F(2, 92) = 44.68, ηp² = 0.49. All pairwise contrasts significant; descriptives confirmed the trends (Table 5).

"a repeated-measures ANOVA including the three ECL assessments during learning was significant, F(1.80, 93.76) = 21.68, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.29."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Delayed post-learning assessments of ICL, ECL, and GCL do not differ between increasing and decreasing complexity sequences — related
• ICL ratings track the manipulated complexity sequence: increasing across units in the increasing condition and decreasing in the decreasing condition — related
• GCL ratings move opposite to the hypothesised pattern, decreasing in the increasing-complexity condition and increasing in the decreasing-complexity condition — related
• The delayed-higher-than-immediate difference for cognitive load ratings replicates regardless of whether problem complexity increases or decreases across the sequence (Experiment 2) — related
• Pre-study verified that the three learning units differ in perceived complexity in the intended low, medium, and high ordering — related
• The first impression of complexity best predicts the overall post-learning cognitive load assessment, indicating a primacy effect in learning contexts — related
• Delayed cognitive load assessments after learning exceed the average of during-learning assessments only when complexity decreases across the learning material — related