Extraneous Cognitive Load as a Gateway to Curiosity: An Integrative Model of Cognitive Load and Motivation in Extended Reality Learning

Extended Reality (XR) is increasingly used in education, yet the cognitive and motivational mechanisms underlying these effects remain insufficiently understood. Moreover, most existing frameworks treat cognitive load and motivation as parallel mediators rather than as interdependent processes. This study introduces the Integrative Model of Cognitive Load and Motivation in XR learning (IMCLM-XR), a theoretical framework combining Cognitive Load Theory with the Learning Progress Hypothesis to explain how XR environments shape intrinsic motivation and learning outcomes by modulating cognitive demands. We tested this model using Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling (BSEM) with 282 undergraduate medical students randomly assigned to one of three neuroanatomy learning conditions: traditional video-based instruction, Augmented Reality (AR), or Virtual Reality (VR). Results revealed that extraneous cognitive load was a strong negative predictor of both perceived learning progress and autonomy, two motivational mediators that positively predicted intrinsic motivation. Both XR conditions significantly reduced extraneous load, while VR additionally reduced intrinsic load and directly enhanced perceived learning progress. These findings position extraneous cognitive load as the primary cognitive lever through which instructional design shapes curiosity-driven motivation in XR contexts and suggest that the motivational benefits of immersive technologies arise less from novelty or presence than from their capacity to liberate cognitive resources for self-directed learning. Theoretical implications for the integration of Cognitive Load Theory and process-oriented motivation models, as well as practical guidelines for XR instructional design, are discussed.