Motivational processes are proposed to be instrumental for essential as well as generative processing¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · theoretical r2 · q1
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? The authors propose that essential processing, like generative processing, involves a motivated component—a decision to invest mental effort—because conscious selection and organization of information depend on value appraisals. → Eitel 2026

Evidence¶

Eitel 2026¶

Eitel, A., Kienitz, A., Krebs, M.-C., & Schöne, C. (2026). Advocating the FoRe-Squares Model of Technology-Augmented Instruction: a Reply to Mayer (2025). Educational Psychology Review, 38, 65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10163-2

q1 · i? · theoretical · r2

Theoretical argument in the reply, departing from Mayer's position that motivational processes are mainly critical for generative processing. The authors argue essential processing "can be understood as involving a motivated component—a decision to invest mental effort."

"Without some minimal degree of subjective value (e.g., curiosity, relevance for one's goals, avoidance of negative outcomes), we propose that the cognitive system is unlikely to reliably initiate or sustain the conscious selection and organization of incoming information, even at the level of essential processing."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Emotion affects motivation, which in turn affects mental effort investment during learning — related
• Students' generative AI use may function either as a scaffold supporting thinking or as a shortcut bypassing essential cognitive processes — related
• Learners invest more effort in tasks they perceive as interesting, personally important, or useful to their future goals. — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Effort investment is driven differently in CLT (data-driven, task difficulty) versus SRL theories (goal-driven, motivation) — related
• Extraneous, essential, and generative processing are tapped by different assessment instruments, partially validating the triarchic theory — related
• Task-essentialness and productive use of new words in goal-directed activity may positively affect vocabulary learning and retention — related
• Total adherence to instructional design principles does not correlate with learning outcomes, mental effort, or motivational variables — related