INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025
Page 5659
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Discussion on Psychological Factors Supporting Online Learning
Xuan Gao
1
, Hasnah Binti Mohamed
2*
1
Leshan Vocational and Technical College, Le Shan, China, University of Technology Malaysia Johor
Bahru, Malaysia
2
University of Technology Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
*
Corresponding Author
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100441
Received: 13 November 2025; Accepted: 21 November 2025; Published: 16 December 2025
ABSTRACT
At present, some scholars have conducted research on online learning from a psychological perspective. Based
on this, from the aspects of learners' meta-cognitive ability, learners' original knowledge base, learners'
motivation, learners' learning styles, etc., the psychological factors required for online learning in the adult-
oriented modern distance education environment are discussed and analyzed, aiming to provide reference
opinions for adult learners to better conduct online learning and for online course designers to design a better
online teaching environment.
Keyword: Modern distance education; online learning; psychological characteristics
CHARACTERISTICS OF ONLINE LEARNING
In the online learning environment, learners can choose course content, teaching progress and learning methods
according to their own characteristics and interests, ask learning questions at any time and get answers in a timely
manner, and have strong autonomy in learning behavior. Therefore, online learning is a learning method that is
conducive to establishing a student-centered learning model. This learning method fully reflects the subjectivity
of learners and has a great role in cultivating independent working ability and innovative spirit.
The rapid expansion of online learning, particularly in adult distance education, necessitates a deeper
understanding of the psychological mechanisms that underpin successful learning outcomes in these
environments. While the technological and pedagogical aspects are often emphasized, the learner's internal
psychological state is a critical determinant of engagement and achievement. This paper therefore seeks to
systematically analyze key psychological factors—namely metacognition, prior knowledge, learning motivation,
and learning styles—to provide a coherent framework for both adult learners and instructional designers.
From a spatial perspective, online learning can be conducted anywhere with multimedia computers and networks,
and you can also learn courses from across the ocean, breaking through the limitations of space. In terms of
teaching time, due to the use of modern educational technology, it breaks through the limitations of fixed teaching
time.Online learning activities in the modern distance education environment can be carried out at any location
that can provide multimedia computers and networks, and at any time, without being restricted by time and space.
Online learning in modern distance education can make use of all available learning resources provided by the
Internet. Learners can not only make use of the rich resources such as multimedia teaching courseware, lesson
examples and resource libraries provided by the modern distance education environment, but also obtain rich
teaching resources provided on the Internet through retrieval and downloading methods, and these resources are
shareable. Learners share the teacher's information, form interactions with the teacher, and can obtain guidance
from the teacher. Learners can also share information with each other.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025
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DISCUSSION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFECT OF
ONLINE LEARNING
Hill and Hannafin (1997) identified five main factors influencing the quality of distance learning: meta-cognitive
knowledge, perceived orientation, perceived self-efficacy, system knowledge, and prior subject knowledge.
Building upon previous research and considering the characteristics of online learning in the modern distance
education environment, this study focuses on exploring the different impacts of meta-cognitive abilities, learners'
existing knowledge, learning motivation, and learning styles on the learning outcomes of online learners, and
proposes some measures to improve these abilities.
A. Meta-cognitive ability is the main factor affecting the learning effect of online learners
Meta-cognition was first proposed by American child psychologist J H Flavell(1976). He described meta-
cognition as: an individual's knowledge about his or her own cognitive processes and results or other related
matters, as well as the active monitoring and continuous regulation and coordination of cognitive processes based
on cognitive objects in order to complete a specific goal or task.
Meta-cognition is the knowledge and ability to regulate cognition (cognition). It includes two major aspects:
meta-cognitive knowledge and meta-cognitive regulation. Network meta-cognition is the specific application of
meta-cognition in the autonomous learning environment of online learning. It is learners’ self-understanding of
their own online cognitive activities and self-regulation of online learning activities. In online learning, learners'
meta-cognitive abilities are mainly manifested in: whether learners can firmly grasp the learning goals and
determine the next learning plan; whether they can be aware of their position in the system in learning, effectively
filter information, and control learning activities to avoid interference from irrelevant information; whether they
can choose learning content presented in appropriate media based on their own cognitive style; whether they can
reflect on learning effects, constantly regulate and improve their own learning methods and learning methods,
and form effective learning methods that are most suitable for their own personality characteristics, etc.In
traditional education environments, learners' self-monitoring ability still has an important impact on learners'
performance. Network and distance education environments are open and flexible, and network meta-cognition
ability plays a more important role in learners' learning.
Contemporary research continues to underscore the pivotal role of metacognition in online settings. According
to Broadbent and Poon (2015), self-regulated learning strategies, which are underpinned by meta-cognitive
awareness, are significant predictors of academic success in online higher education. Furthermore, interventions
designed to prompt metacognitive reflection, such as guided self-assessments and learning journals, have been
shown to significantly enhance learners' ability to monitor and control their learning processes, leading to
improved performance (Jansen et al., 2020).
“Learners with high Internet meta-cognition ability can appropriately use self-regulation and self-monitoring
strategies, effectively determine learning needs, evaluate, supervise, review and modify their Internet
learning.Modify their own online learning strategies in a timely manner, thereby showing higher divergent
thinking and the ability to locate information, and showing higher online learning quality." On the contrary,
learners with low online meta-cognitive ability cannot self-regulate and self-monitor online learning activities
well, and their online learning quality is often not as high as learners with high online meta-cognitive ability.
The online learning environment is different from the previous traditional learning environment. It changes the
absolute dependence of learners on teachers, allowing learners to independently arrange learning time, learning
progress and even learning strategies. Learning strategies directly affect each stage of learning activities. In order
to improve the learning efficiency of online learners, we promote the improvement of learners’ online meta-
cognitive abilities from the following aspects:
(1) Strengthen guidance for online learners on meta-cognitive knowledge.
Flavell believes that meta-cognition consists of three parts: meta-cognitive knowledge, meta-cognitive
experience, and meta-cognitive monitoring. Among them, meta-cognitive knowledge is an important factor
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025
Page 5661
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affecting learners' meta-cognitive abilities. At each stage of online learning for distance learners, attention should
be paid to increasing guidance and assistance on meta-cognitive knowledge related to online learning, actively
guiding learners to apply meta-cognitive knowledge to online learning, and cultivating and improving learners'
awareness and initiative in learning meta-cognitive knowledge. Online learners should not forget to accumulate
learning strategies during their learning period and should be able to flexibly apply different learning strategies.
(2) Train online learners in their network meta-cognitive monitoring abilities.
Meta-cognitive monitoring is also a component of meta-cognition. Based on certain basic knowledge, learners'
self-monitoring level of learning becomes a key factor affecting their learning success. Even though adult learners
have strong self-discipline ability, online learning is different from traditional learning. Putting forward meta-
cognitive monitoring requirements for adult learners in stages will achieve better results. At the beginning of
online learning, organizers of distance education can require learners to formulate strict learning goals and
implementation plans, and provide reference standards for effective monitoring; during the learning process,
constantly remind learners to have goals in mind, strengthen the analysis of their own characteristics and learning
tasks, and ensure the successful completion of the learning plan; after learning, guide learners to review the
problem-solving process, carefully analyze the errors that occurred during learning, and compare the selected
learning strategies to help learners evaluate their learning. Evaluate the learning results, summarize the experience
and lessons learned in the past, and lay a solid foundation for future learning.
B. Learners’ existing knowledge provides the possibility to improve online learning effects
System knowledge can help online learners interact with the learning system in the online environment, choose
effective operations, etc., thereby reducing the learners' inability to locate and frustration during the learning
process. In an open online learning environment, insufficient system knowledge will limit learners' application
of the online learning system. Some scholars have pointed out that the increase in learners' system knowledge
does not necessarily guarantee their learning success, but system knowledge can help learners interact with the
system in the network environment, choose effective operations, etc., thereby reducing the learner's inability to
locate and frustration during the learning process. This is crucial for learning in the network environment.Most
online learners in modern distance education environments are adults, and their basic network operations and
corresponding computer knowledge are relatively lacking. Online course designers need to take these
characteristics of adult learners into consideration and design teaching software to be as easy as possible for
learners to operate.
Prior subject matter knowledge refers to the knowledge and experience that learners have in the knowledge area
they are learning and exploring. Learners' familiarity with the professional domain knowledge required for
learning will inevitably promote their choice of efficient learning strategies to achieve better learning
results.Learners with rich knowledge of the previous topic have an advantage over learners with less knowledge
of the previous topic when using the online environment to learn. Rich prior subject knowledge can help learners
choose more effective keywords and topic terms for information retrieval, integrate old and new knowledge, and
enrich, improve and improve their current field. Therefore, learners’ acquisition and accumulation of previous
subject knowledge should be strengthened. Prior subject knowledge also affects the ability to synthesize new
information into a whole and retain it. According to comparative studies on the problem-solving processes of
experts and novices, it can be seen that the original knowledge of novices in a certain field does not have a good
organizational structure, so it is difficult to flexibly apply it to new environments. Most of them use the strategy
of memorization and recitation to learn new knowledge, which affects the learning effect to a certain extent. The
original knowledge of experts in a certain field has a good organizational structure and can quickly adapt to new
structural changes. In a hypertext environment, experts browse information more purposefully. They have a clear
mental representation of the knowledge structure in this field, so they can allocate different time to different
information and adopt different learning strategies. [6] Online learners in the modern distance education
environment are not necessarily experts in the fields involved, but most learners have rich practical experience,
rich professional knowledge, and strong mental representation of the knowledge structure in this field. Therefore,
the learner's previous subject knowledge can have a certain impact on the online learning effect, but in this
environment, its impact is not as great as the system knowledge on the learning effect in the modern distance
education environment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025
Page 5662
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C. Learning motivation, especially cognitive drive, is the guarantee for achieving good online learning
results.
The so-called learning motivation is an inner process or internal psychological state that arouses individuals to
carry out learning activities, guides behavior toward certain learning goals, and maintains, regulates and
strengthens such learning activities.The main reason why online learners in the modern distance education
environment choose the Internet for learning is that online learning is not limited by time and space. It is a learner-
centered autonomous learning that requires learners to actively adjust learning strategies according to their own
learning abilities and learning tasks. Therefore, this learning model has high requirements on learners' learning
motivation, which is also the guarantee for achieving effective online learning results or even efficient online
learning results.
Regarding the components of achievement motivation, D.P. Ausubel proposed three types of drives:
1. Cognitive drive. This is a need to acquire knowledge, skills, and the ability to identify and solve problems.
It is often manifested as psychological factors such as curiosity, thirst for knowledge, exploration, and
manipulation;
2. Self-improvement drive.This is a need to view academic achievement as winning a corresponding status.
It is often manifested as psychological factors such as self-esteem, a sense of honor, self-confidence, and
a sense of competence;
3. Affiliation drive. This is a need to strive to do well in studies and work in order to gain the approval and
recognition of elders (parents, teachers) and peers. It manifests as a sense of attachment.Among these,
cognitive drive has a greater impact on the effectiveness of online learning than the latter two.
This alignment with cognitive drive is strongly supported by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which posits that
intrinsic motivation is fueled by satisfying the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness
(Ryan & Deci, 2020). The autonomous nature of online learning directly supports the need for autonomy, while
well-designed courses can foster competence through timely feedback and manageable challenges. Therefore,
online course designers should aim to create environments that not only present information but also nurture these
innate psychological needs to sustain motivation and promote deep learning.
Learning motivation is the same as all other psychological activities of people, and its changes have certain rules.
In online learning, if learners and educators can consciously follow these rules and use these rules rationally, it
will help improve learning behavior and enhance learners' online learning effects. The rules of learning
motivation include:
(1) The law that learning motivation is inspired by external objective conditions. In online learning activities,
there are often many external conditions that attract, motivate, and induce learners, forming corresponding
learning motivations. External learning motivation can have a certain impact on online learning activities.
Moreover, most adult learners need diplomas and academic qualifications. The thirst for knowledge seemed less
intense.
(2) Organizers of modern distance education should make better use of this principle, employing more material
rewards and performance evaluations to motivate learners' external learning motivation. Specifically, this can be
achieved by assessing learners' learning outcomes at each stage and publishing the results. Those who achieve
good results in a stage can be rewarded with Q coins or real-world material rewards, thereby stimulating learners'
external learning motivation.
(3) The law that learning motivation is transformed from internal psychological factors. The generation and
existence of learning motivation can not only be stimulated by external conditions, but also require the
transformation of internal psychological factors. In learning activities, there are many internal psychological
factors that can be transformed into learning motivation, including: need for learning, desire, curiosity, thirst for
knowledge, interest, emotion, belief, ideal, three hearts (self-esteem, self-confidence, competitiveness), three
senses (sense of responsibility, obligation, sense of honor), etc., which can be transformed into learning
motivation, thereby motivating students to pursue learning goals, improve learning behavior, and improve
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025
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learning effects. The learning motivation transformed from these internal psychological factors is called internal
learning motivation. Internal learning motivation has a greater impact on learning activities than external learning
motivation. In online learning, learners themselves must pay special attention to cultivating internal learning
motivation, choose courses that have strong curiosity about the online course itself, and be willing to actively
seek answers to questions in a non-linear environment that requires learners to continuously explore. In the design
of online courses, educators should use appropriate strategies to attract learners' attention to learning content and
cultivate interest in learning, such as: appropriate use of short stories, cases, and humor; appropriate use of
animation, music and other multimedia forms; presentation of the goals of learning tasks, etc.
D. Pay attention to the impact of differences in learners’ learning styles on learning outcomes
Learning style refers to all the psychological characteristics of learners who perceive and respond to different
stimuli. Learning style includes sensory channel preference, cognitive style preference, etc. Among them,
cognitive style involves learners’ preferred and habitual ways of organizing and representing information, and is
closely related to the regulation of network-based learning processes.
(1) Sensory channel preference is a guarantee of the quality of online learning.
From a perceptual perspective, learners are mainly classified into three types: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
In the context of online learning in modern distance education, we mainly discuss visual and auditory learning.
Although we use both types of sensory channels simultaneously to varying degrees during learning, each learner
has their preferred type. Generally speaking, in online learning environments, visual learners are good at learning
through visual stimuli and prefer to receive information through various visual stimuli such as pictures, charts,
videos, and films. They have a good understanding of the representational structure of hypertext learning
environments, but they are not very good at remembering specific textual information. They are suitable for using
concept maps to organize information and for learning in created virtual scenarios. Auditory learners prefer to
receive new knowledge by listening to others explain. These learners prefer information in text or audio format
in online course learning environments, which can achieve higher quality learning results. In online teaching
environments, no single material can satisfy all learners. Studies (Butler and Mautz, 1996) have shown that
learners who prefer visual representations are better able to learn multimedia representations, while those skilled
in auditory representations are more likely to be misled by multimedia. Therefore, the presentation of learning
materials should vary to suit the needs of learners with different preferences.
This principle is a core tenet of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML). CTML suggests that
learning is more effective when instructional materials are designed in accordance with how the human mind
works, accounting for different channels of processing (Mayer, 2020). For instance, visual learners benefit from
the strategic use of graphics, charts, and animations to explain complex processes, while auditory learners benefit
from clear narration or downloadable audio summaries. A one-size-fits-all approach to multimedia presentation
can create extraneous cognitive load for some learners, thereby hindering learning. Thus, providing content in
multiple formats or offering learner-controlled options is essential for accommodating sensory preferences.
(2) The impact of different field orientation styles in individual cognitive approaches on the quality of
online learning.
Cognitive style is "understood as a preferred and habitual way for individuals to organize and represent
information" and is an important element in learning style. Among the many researchers of cognitive styles, the
most influential one is the American psychologist Herman Witkin. From the field orientation dimension, he
divided field-oriented styles into field-independent and field-dependent people based on their degree of
dependence on the external environment. People with field-dependent characteristics tend to view things in a
holistic manner and are easily affected by environmental factors in perception; people with field-independent
characteristics tend to accept external stimuli with an analytical attitude and are less affected by environmental
factors in perception. In studying online courses,these two types of learners exhibit different characteristics. Early
research (Mcleod & Adams, 1979) showed that field-dependent students perform well under rigorous instruction,
while field-independent students perform better in discovery-based, less instructional teaching methods (such as
distance education). Although online learning environments cannot provide rigorous instruction, the cognitive
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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"disadvantages" of field-dependent learners are not immutable in online teaching environments. As long as the
teaching methods and content presentation are suitable for their characteristics, the potential of these learners can
still be stimulated, leading to better learning outcomes. This places higher demands on instructional designers;
whether online courses can be well-matched to the learners' individual learning styles is directly related to the
quality of their online learning.
CONCLUSION
The online learning environment in the modern distance education environment creates a good psychological
atmosphere for learners. The network can meet the needs of learners with different learning styles and different
learning motivations, allowing learners to comprehensively and fully develop their personality psychology. The
creation of an online learning environment is learner-centered. When creating, it is necessary to fully consider
the learner's prior experience with the Internet and learning content, the learning motivation for the Internet and
the metacognitive ability in the Internet, the learning style in online courses, and certain personality characteristics
of the learner. This can promote effective interaction between online courses and learners, and promote online
learners to achieve effective learning results. Only when designers of online courses have a deep understanding
of learners, teaching content and teaching environment can they create a high-quality online learning environment
for learners, thereby ensuring that learners obtain effective learning results in this course environment.
In conclusion, effective online learning in distance education is a complex interplay of psychological factors
where meta-cognition acts as the regulator, prior knowledge provides the foundation, intrinsic motivation serves
as the engine, and accommodating learning styles ensures the pathway is clear. Future research should empirically
validate the interactions between these factors within adult learning populations and explore the role of emerging
elements such as emotional regulation and social presence. Moreover, leveraging learning analytics and artificial
intelligence to create adaptive learning systems that respond to individual psychological profiles presents a
promising frontier for personalizing and enhancing the online learning experience.
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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