Self-regulated learning depends on task difficulty and on learners’ resources and cognitive load, as described by an inverted U-shaped relationship in Seufert’s (2018) model: for easy tasks, resources are high and load is low, so there is no need to regulate, whereas for difficult tasks, load is too high and resources are too low to regulate. Only at moderate task difficulty do learners regulate, as resources and load are in equilibrium. The purpose of this study is to validate this model, i.e., the inverted U-shaped relationship between task difficulty and self-regulatory activities, as well as learner resources and cognitive load as mediators. In the within-subject study, 67 participants reported their cognitive and metacognitive strategy use for four exams of varying difficulty. For each exam task difficulty, cognitive load, and available resources (such as prior knowledge, interest, etc.) were assessed. Multilevel analysis revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between task difficulty and the use of cognitive strategies. For metacognitive strategies, only a linear relationship was found. Increasing cognitive load mediated these relationship patterns. For learner resources we found a competitive mediation, indicating that further mediators could be relevant. In future investigations a broader range of task difficulty should be examined.

自我调节学习取决于任务难度以及学习者的资源和认知负荷，正如 Seufert（2018）模型中的倒 U 形关系所描述的那样：对于简单的任务，资源高，负荷低，因此不需要难以调节，而对于困难的任务，负载太高而资源太少而无法调节。只有在任务难度适中时，学习者才会进行调节，因为资源和负荷处于平衡状态。本研究的目的是验证该模型，即任务难度与自我调节活动之间的倒U形关系，以及学习者资源和认知负荷作为中介。在受试者内研究中，67 名参与者报告了他们在四项不同难度的考试中使用的认知和元认知策略。对于每项考试任务难度、认知负荷和可用资源（例如先验知识、兴趣等）均进行了评估。多层次分析揭示了任务难度与认知策略的使用之间存在倒U形关系。对于元认知策略，仅发现线性关系。认知负荷的增加调节了这些关系模式。对于学习者资源，我们发现了竞争性中介，表明更多中介可能是相关的。在未来的调查中，应该检查更广泛的任务难度。