{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T05:14:31Z","timestamp":1783314871561,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783296000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In vocational digital heritage programs, technical complexity is often associated with a heavy cognitive load, which may hinder students from utilizing cultural capital. Drawing on Cognitive Load Theory and the cultural assets framework, this study aims to examine the associations among instructional support, cognitive load, cultural identity, and students\u2019 creative self-efficacy (CSE).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. Data were collected from 333 vocational college students using an online survey. A moderated mediation model was evaluated using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and the cross-contextual stability of the theoretical model was assessed via multi-group analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>SEM analysis revealed that instructional support is positively associated with CSE, and this relationship is primarily mediated by perceived cognitive ease (lower cognitive load), with the indirect path accounting for 54.4% of the total relationship. Crucially, cultural identity serves as a significant moderator; the negative association between cognitive load and CSE is weaker among students with strong cultural connections. Multi-group analysis confirmed the consistency of this structural model across different cultural heritage topics.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These correlational findings support a \u201cLoad-Asset Balance\u201d mechanism, suggesting that cultural identity functions as an active psychological resource rather than a mere background variable. Cultivating learners\u2019 emotional connection to traditional culture appears as essential as technical scaffolding. Future digital heritage pedagogy should integrate cognitive load management with cultural engagement to support creative confidence.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1798104","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T04:21:37Z","timestamp":1783311697000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Cultural identity as a cognitive buffer: enhancing creative self-efficacy in digital heritage education"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Na","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Art Design and Education, Yantai Vocational College","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jingjing","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Basic Courses, Yantai Vocational College","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104154","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compedu.2021.104154","article-title":"Signaling in virtual reality influences learning outcome and cognitive load","volume":"166","author":"Albus","year":"2021","journal-title":"Comput. Educ."},{"key":"ref2","volume-title":"Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control","author":"Bandura","year":"1997"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100005","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yjoc.2021.100005","article-title":"There is no creativity without uncertainty: Dubito ergo creo","volume":"31","author":"Beghetto","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Creativity"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.1080\/00461520.2013.838920","article-title":"A framework for designing scaffolds that improve motivation and cognition","volume":"48","author":"Belland","year":"2013","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1186\/s40561-022-00200-2","article-title":"Multimedia learning principles in different learning environments: a systematic review","volume":"9","author":"\u00c7eken","year":"2022","journal-title":"Smart Learn. Environ."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.5334\/bck","volume-title":"Virtual Heritage: A guide","author":"Champion","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"The 55th Statistical Report on China\u2019s Internet Development","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref8","first-page":"5","article-title":"Commission recommendation (EU) 2021\/1970 of 10 November 2021 on a common European data space for cultural heritage","volume-title":"Off. J. Eur. Union","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref9","volume-title":"Opinions on Promoting the Implementation of the national Cultural Digitization Strategy","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"513","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.44.3.513","article-title":"Conservation of resources: a new attempt at conceptualizing stress","volume":"44","author":"Hobfoll","year":"1989","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref11","first-page":"78","article-title":"Reducing cognitive load in cultural heritage learning through adaptive instructional design","volume-title":"J. Educ. Technol. Soc.","author":"Huang","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1455015","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1455015","article-title":"The influence of generative artificial intelligence on creative cognition of design students: a chain mediation model of self-efficacy and anxiety","volume":"15","author":"Hwang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e49","DOI":"10.1017\/SJP.2021.46","article-title":"Mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: concepts, computations, and some common confusions","volume":"24","author":"Igartua","year":"2021","journal-title":"Span. J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref14","volume-title":"Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling","author":"Kline","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-020-09586-2","article-title":"The cognitive affective model of immersive learning: a theoretical research-based model of learning in immersive virtual reality","volume":"33","author":"Makransky","year":"2021","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1037\/edu0000750","article-title":"Extending the reciprocal effects model of math self-concept and achievement: long-term implications for end-of-high-school, age-26 outcomes, and long-term expectations","volume":"115","author":"Marsh","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-023-09842-1","article-title":"The past, present, and future of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning","volume":"36","author":"Mayer","year":"2024","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref18","volume-title":"Statistical Bulletin on the Development of national Education in 2023","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0663.84.4.429","article-title":"Training strategies for attaining transfer of problem-solving skill in statistics: a cognitive-load approach","volume":"84","author":"Paas","year":"1992","journal-title":"J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1207\/S15326985EP3801_1","article-title":"Cognitive load theory and instructional design: recent developments","volume":"38","author":"Paas","year":"2003","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.88.5.879","article-title":"Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies","volume":"88","author":"Podsakoff","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsp.2011.10.005","article-title":"Does perceived teacher affective support matter for middle school students in mathematics classrooms?","volume":"50","author":"Sakiz","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Sch. Psychol."},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-021-09624-7","article-title":"Understanding cognitive load in digital and online learning: a new perspective on extraneous cognitive load","volume":"34","author":"Skulmowski","year":"2022","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1016\/0364-0213(88)90023-7","article-title":"Cognitive load during problem solving: effects on learning","volume":"12","author":"Sweller","year":"1988","journal-title":"Cogn. Sci."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2229","DOI":"10.1007\/s10648-021-09647-0","article-title":"The role of evolutionary psychology in our understanding of human cognition: consequences for cognitive load theory and instructional procedures","volume":"34","author":"Sweller","year":"2022","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102142","DOI":"10.1016\/j.learninstruc.2025.102142","article-title":"A cornerstone of adaptivity\u2013a meta-analysis of the expertise reversal effect","volume":"98","author":"Tetzlaff","year":"2025","journal-title":"Learn. Instr."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1137","DOI":"10.5465\/3069429","article-title":"Creative self-efficacy: its potential antecedents and relationship to creative performance","volume":"45","author":"Tierney","year":"2002","journal-title":"Acad. Manag. J."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.37934\/ard.131.1.116a","article-title":"Tech-infused narrative: a systematic review of digital storytelling in education","volume":"131","author":"Ugap","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Adv. Res. Design"},{"key":"ref29","volume-title":"Re|shaping Policies for Creativity: Addressing Culture as a Global public good","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003322481","volume-title":"Ten Steps to complex Learning: A systematic Approach to four-Component Instructional design","author":"van Merri\u00ebnboer","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7610.1976.tb00381.x","article-title":"The role of tutoring in problem solving","volume":"17","author":"Wood","year":"1976","journal-title":"J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105247","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actpsy.2025.105247","article-title":"The study of the effects of digital media applications in cross-cultural communication in the construction of cultural identity","volume":"258","author":"Yao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Acta Psychol."},{"key":"ref33","first-page":"141","article-title":"Development and application of teachers' cultural identity scale","volume":"54","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Global Educ."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"877","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-025-02152-2","article-title":"The synergy of embodied cognition and cognitive load theory for optimized learning","volume":"9","author":"Zou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nat. Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.3390\/educsci13070705","article-title":"The effects of using scaffolding in online learning: a meta-analysis","volume":"13","author":"Zuo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Educ. Sci."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1798104\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T04:21:40Z","timestamp":1783311700000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1798104\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]]},"references-count":35,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1798104"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1798104","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]]},"article-number":"1798104"}}