Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

Abstract Objective: This narrative review examines the emergence, psychological and social consequences, and mitigation strategies of cognitive dissonance in digital environments. As users increasingly encounter contradictory information, algorithmic content curation, and socially evaluative online spaces, cognitive dissonance has become a central factor shaping attitudes, behaviors, and patterns of digital engagement. Method: Nineteen empirical and theoretical studies published between 2010 and 2024 were synthesized using a narrative review approach to identify core mechanisms, impacts, and explanatory models. Results: Cognitive dissonance in digital contexts arises from informational conflict, cognitive–affective tension, social pressure, and algorithmic exposure. These mechanisms contribute to emotional strain, anxiety, information avoidance, polarization, and reduced dialogue quality. Three theoretical models—Expressed vs. Private Opinions, Social Network, and Social Evolution—explain how individual‑level dissonance can scale into collective and structural transformations. Although users employ strategies such as information management, cognitive literacy, and truth‑oriented messaging, many coping responses are short‑term and avoidance‑based. Conclusions: Cognitive dissonance functions as a cumulative and evolving process in digital environments, influencing both individual well‑being and broader social dynamics. Future research should adopt longitudinal, cross‑cultural, and multi‑platform approaches and develop evidence‑based interventions to support healthier digital engagement.

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of stress inoculation training on students’ academic buoyancy among students with academic stress. Method: The research employed a quasi-experimental design using a pretest–posttest with a control group. The study population consisted of all tenth-grade male students in the second cycle of secondary education in Ardabil. From this population, using a cluster random sampling procedure, 40 students with academic stress were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental (n=20) and the control (n=20) groups. Participants in the experimental group received eight sessions of stress inoculation training, while the control group participants continued with their usual routine. Data collection was conducted using the Academic Buoyancy Scale developed by Hossein Chari and Dehghani Zadeh (2012) and the Zajacova et al. ‘s Academic Stress Questionnaire (2005). Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) via using SPSS software. Results: The findings indicated that, in the posttest phase, students in the experimental group who experienced academic stress demonstrated significantly higher academic buoyancy than students in the control group. Accordingly, the research hypothesis asserting the effectiveness of stress inoculation training on the academic buoyancy of students with academic stress was supported. Conclusions: It can be concluded that stress inoculation training is effective in increasing academic buoyancy among students with academic stress. Accordingly, stress inoculation training may be implemented in schools to enhance students’ academic buoyancy.

Abstract Objectives: Recent developments in positive psychology emphasize leveraging individual strengths to improve personal and academic outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of structured group training in positive thinking on enhancing self-esteem and self-efficacy among male secondary school students in Javanrood. Method: Employing a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group, the study involved 30 first-year male students selected through multistage random cluster sampling during the 2024–2025 academic year. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) receiving the intervention or a control group (n = 15). Instruments included Sherer’s Self-Efficacy Scale and Coopersmith’s Self-Esteem Inventory. The experimental group participated in 8 sessions of positive thinking skills training, each lasting 90 minutes conducted twice weekly. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) via SPSS-21. Results: The ANCOVA results indicated that students who participated in the positive thinking training showed statistically significant improvements in both self-esteem and self-efficacy compared to the control group. For self-esteem, a large effect size was observed (η²p = .18, F = 6.15, p < .05). For self-efficacy, a very large effect size was found (η²p = .35, F = 14.92, p < .01). These findings suggest that structured positive thinking interventions can effectively foster psychological resilience and personal competence in adolescent males. Conclusion: Implementing positive thinking group training in school settings can serve as a practical and evidence-based approach to promote students' mental health, self-confidence, and academic performance. The large to very large effect sizes support the practical significance of the intervention beyond mere statistical significance. These interventions can be integrated into school counseling programs to support holistic students' development.

Abstract Objective: Education and academic health in adolescence are very important not only for planning for the future, but also for success in the classroom. Health-promoting behaviors are one of the important criteria in the field of health directly related to academic health. Thus, this study aimed to examine the role of academic wising and meaning in predicting promoting educational health behaviors. Method: The research employed a descriptive and correlational method. The population of this study included all second-year high school students in Mahabad in the academic year 2024-2025 (N=6050). To calculate the statistical sample size, 361 people were estimated according to the Cochran formula. Using a stratified random sampling method, questionnaires were distributed to male and female students. Data collection tools included: promoting educational health behaviors (Salehzadeh et al., 2017), academic wising (Naderipour et al., 2023), and academic meaning (Kaufman et al., 2019). Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. Results: The results showed that academic wising can significantly predict students' promoting educational health behaviors (R²=.298), with academic meaning contributing the most (R²=.397). Therefore, according to the results, academic wising and meaning are considered as a fundamental factor in maintaining motivation, academic engagement, and psychological resilience as promoters of academic health behaviors among students. Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, educational psychologists and academic counselors should pay attention to the role of academic wising and meaning among students and adolescents. In addition, the need to teach academic wising and meaning to students is essential to further promote academic achievement and should be given special attention.

Abstract Objective: This study examined whether blended learning (BL) enhances creative thinking and academic self-regulation in pre-service mathematics teachers compared to traditional instruction. The aim was to provide evidence for updating teacher education with methods that develop these essential skills for future educators. Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was implemented. Forty-five pre-service teachers were non-randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=22) or a control group (n=23). The experimental group received a 12-session BL course on Algebraic Structures, which integrated online modules with face-to-face collaboration, while the control group received standard lecture-based instruction for identical content. Primary measures were the Welch and McDowall Creative Thinking Scale and the Bouffard Academic Self-Regulation Scale. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used for analysis via SPSS-26, controlling for pre-test scores. The validity of the “JabrAmoz” software was confirmed using the Content Validity Index (CVI), and its reliability was confirmed through the development of a standardized implementation protocol and the monitoring of 20% of the sessions by an observer, with a protocol adherence rate (Fidelity) of 96%. Results: The experimental group achieved substantially higher post-test scores in both creative thinking (P < .05, η² = .246) and academic self-regulation (P < .05, η² = .117) compared to the control group. A significant group × time interaction was observed for creative thinking (F = 12.04, P < .01, η² = .215) and academic self-regulation (F = 6.78, P < .05, η² = .133). For self-regulation subcomponents, both cognitive and metacognitive strategies improved significantly in the experimental group (P < .05). Conclusions: The findings indicated that a structured blended learning model is a more effective strategy than traditional methods for developing critical creative and self-regulatory skills in pre-service mathematics teachers, enhancing innovative thinking and metacognitive control, thus, it can equip educators for contemporary classroom demands.

Abstract Objective: Memory and attention are two processes that influence most aspects of life. Cognitive psychologists believe that teaching self-regulation strategies can have a positive effect on these two processes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify the effectiveness of teaching self-regulation strategies, based on Zimmerman's cyclical model, on everyday memory and selective attention. Method: The present study adopted a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test and a control group. The statistical population included all eighth-grade students in Shiraz. The sample consisted of volunteer eighth-grade students who met the inclusion criteria for participating in the research and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (each with 15 participants). To collect data, the Everyday Memory Questionnaire by Sunderland et al. (1983) and the Stroop software were used. The experimental group underwent ten sessions of training in self-regulation strategies based on Zimmerman's cyclical model. The collected data were analyzed using ANOVA with SPSS-26 software (P < .05). Results: The results of the analysis showed that all attention variables (Stroop test) and memory were significant at the .05 level (.001 ≤ p ≤ .033). The effect size (eta squared) ranged from .23 to .34, indicating the effectiveness of the intervention. Therefore, training in self-regulation strategies based on Zimmerman’s cyclical model led to a significant improvement in attention and everyday memory in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < .05). Conclusions: Based on the findings of the present study, by utilizing a self-regulation training program, problems related to concentration and attention can be reduced and memory capacities can be improved.