Abstract
<jats:p>The article presents a theoretical and empirical substantiation of psychological factors influencing students’ choice of different learning content formats (text, video, and interactive) in the context of digitalization of education. The relevance of the study is determined by the rapid development of online and blended learning and the need to consider individual psychological characteristics of learners to enhance the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition. The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between cognitive, motivational, and regulatory characteristics of students and their preferences for different learning content formats. The theoretical framework is based on the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (R. Mayer), cognitive load theory (J. Sweller), dual coding theory (A. Paivio), as well as research on individual differences in learning (S. Kalyuga) and the effectiveness of digital educational technologies. It is substantiated that the choice of learning content format is a multifactorial psychological process determined by the level of academic motivation, self-regulation skills, cognitive style, and current cognitive load. The text format facilitates deep analytical processing of information, video provides visual clarity and reduces cognitive complexity, while interactive content enhances learning activity and increases student engagement. The empirical study conducted on a sample of students aged 18–22 showed a predominance of video format as the most preferred (38.9%), while text and interactive formats were chosen less frequently. It was found that students with a high level of academic motivation and self-regulation more often prefer text-based and combined formats, whereas under conditions of low motivation and increased cognitive load, video content is dominant. Statistically significant relationships were identified between self-regulation and preference for text format, motivation and interactive learning, as well as cognitive load and preference for video format. The key psychological factors influencing the choice of learning content were determined as cognitive processing characteristics, academic motivation level, self-regulation ability, and situational psycho-emotional state. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its results for designing adaptive digital learning environments that take into account individual differences among students and improve the effectiveness of the educational process. Keywords: learning content, text, video, interactive learning, cognitive load, cognitive styles, academic motivation, self-regulation, digital education, multimedia learning.</jats:p>