Understanding Cognitive Processing in Real‐World DIY Learning: Effects of Instructional Design and Task Complexity on Cognitive Elaboration and Task Replication Intention

Although digital tutorials are a primary DIY learning tool, how instructional materials should address psychological barriers and promote replication behavior remains underexplored. This study examines the effects of instructional condition and task complexity on replication intention in sustainable DIY activities. It further investigates indirect associations involving cognitive elaboration, discomfort, and insecurity, alongside the moderating role of distance‐learning anxiety. Drawing on the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, a between‐subjects experiment ( N = 406) employed a 2 (instruction condition: audio‐visual only vs. audio‐visual with instructional text scaffolding) × 2 (task complexity: basic vs. advanced) design. Process Macro analysis showed that audio‐visual tutorials with instructional text scaffolding generated significantly higher cognitive elaboration than audio‐visual‐only tutorials, particularly for basic tasks. Insecurity, but not discomfort, showed a significant indirect association between cognitive elaboration and replication intention. The hypothesized weakening moderation by distance‐learning anxiety was unsupported; interactions instead emerged in the opposite, strengthening direction.