In an era when AI systems curate increasingly fine-grained aspects of everyday media use, understanding algorithmic fatigue and resistance is essential for safeguarding user agency. Within the horizon of a more algorithmic and hyper-personalized advertising environment, knowing how people resist algorithmic advertising is of immediate importance. This research formulates and examines a structural resistance model for algorithmic advertising, combining psychological and cognitive predictors such as perceived ad fatigue (PAF), digital well-being (DWB), advertising literacy (ADL), and perceived relevance (PR). Based on a cross-sectional survey of 637 participants, the research employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and mediation and multi-group analysis to uncover overall processes and group-specific resistance profiles. Findings show that DWB, ADL, and PR are strong positive predictors of resistance to persuasion, while PAF has no direct effect. PAF has significant indirect influences through both PR and ADL, with full mediation providing support for the cognitive filter function of resistance. DWB demonstrates partial mediation, indicating that it has influence both directly and through enhanced literacy and relevance attribution. Multi-group analysis also indicates that there are notable differences in terms of age, gender, education, social media consumption, ad skipping, and occurrence of digital burnout. Interestingly, younger users and those who have higher digital fatigue are more sensitive to cognitive mediators, whereas gender and education level play a moderating role in the effect of well-being and literacy on resistance pathways. The research provides theory-informed, scalable theory to enhance the knowledge of online resistance. Practical implications are outlined for policymakers, marketers, educators, and developers of digital platforms based on the extent to which psychological resilience and media literacy underpin user agency. In charting resistance contours, this article seeks to maintain the voice of the user in a world growing increasingly algorithmic.

This research examines the cognitive and psychological mechanisms underlying young adults’ reactions to ESG-labeled online advertisements, specifically resistance to persuasion and purchase intention. Based on dual-process theories of persuasion and digital literacy theory, we develop and test a structural equation model (SEM) of perceived greenwashing, online advertising literacy, source credibility, persuasion knowledge, and advertising skepticism as predictors of behavioral intention. Data were gathered from 690 Greek consumers between the ages of 18–35 years through an online survey. All the direct effects hypothesized were statistically significant, while advertising skepticism was the strongest direct predictor of purchase intention. Mediation tests indicated that persuasion knowledge and skepticism partially mediated perceptions of greenwashing, literacy, and credibility effects, in favor of a complementary dual-route process of ESG message evaluation. Multi-group comparisons revealed significant moderation effects across gender, age, education, ESG familiarity, influencer trust, and ad-avoidance behavior. Most strikingly, women evidenced stronger resistance effects via persuasion knowledge, whereas younger users and those with lower familiarity with ESG topics were more susceptible to skepticism and greenwashing. Education supported the processing of source credibility and digital literacy cues, underlining the contribution of informational capital to persuasion resilience. The results provide theoretical contributions to digital persuasion and resistance with practical implications for marketers, educators, and policymakers seeking to develop ethical ESG communication. Future research is invited to broaden cross-cultural understanding, investigate emotional mediators, and incorporate experimental approaches to foster consumer skepticism and trust knowledge in digital sustainability messages.

With increasing digitalization of learning environments, concerns regarding the psychological effect of seductive interface design on the motivational level and cognitive health of learners have been raised. This research investigates the effects of certain persuasive and adaptive design elements, i.e., Perceived Persuasiveness of Platform Design (PPS), Frequency of Nudge Exposure (NE), and Perceived Personalization (PP), on intrinsic motivation in virtual learning environments (INTR). We draw on Self-Determination Theory, Cognitive Load Theory, and Persuasive Systems Design to develop and test a conceptual model featuring cognitive overload (COG) and perceived autonomy (PAUTO) as mediating variables. We used a cross-sectional survey of university students (N = 740) and used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis. The findings show that all three predictors have significant impacts on intrinsic motivation, with PP as the strongest direct predictor. Mediation analyses produced complementary effects for NE and PP in that these traits not only boosted motivation directly, but also autonomy, and they decreased cognitive overload. Alternatively, PPS showed competitive mediation, boosting motivation directly but lowering it indirectly by increasing overload and decreasing autonomy. Multi-Group Analysis also revealed that such effects differ by gender, age, education, digital literacy, exposure to persuasive features, and use frequency of the platform. The results underscore the imperative for educational technology design to reduce cognitive load and support user control, especially for subgroups at risk. Interface designers, teachers, and policymakers who are interested in supporting healthy and ethical digital learning environments are provided with implications. This work is part of the new generation of research in the field of the ethical design of impactful education technologies, focusing on the balance between motivational-enabling functions and the psychological needs of users.

The adoption of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) such as Moodle in higher education is influenced by a complex interplay of technical, cognitive, and motivational factors. This study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by integrating technical system quality (TSQ), educational system quality (ESQ), satisfaction (SAT), anxiety (ANX), and autonomous motivation (AUTO) to provide a more comprehensive understanding of Moodle adoption. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze 487 responses from university students with varying levels of Moodle experience. The findings confirm that perceived usefulness (PU), educational system quality (ESQ), and satisfaction (SAT) significantly influence behavioral intention (BI) to use Moodle, whereas Perceived ease of use (PE) was not a significant predictor. Mediation analysis revealed that SAT plays a dominant role in mediating the effects of system and cognitive factors on BI, while ANX exhibited selective and partial mediation effects. Additionally, autonomous motivation (AUTO) moderated the impact of SAT on BI, with results indicating that satisfaction is more critical for low-motivation users. Multi-group analysis further highlighted demographic and usage-based differences, with younger and novice users being more sensitive to technical and cognitive barriers. These findings present both theoretical contributions and inform educational and policy imperatives by extending the TAM in the context of affective and system-level determinants. Institutions should invest in efforts to improve content quality, reduce technology-related anxiety, and establish personalized onboarding and motivation-driven learning strategies.

Given the increasing prominence of sustainable tourism in light of climate change, this study investigates the sustainable tourist behavior of winter tourists through psychological and demographic factors in relation to climate change. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and a cognitive–affective combination of variables, we outline a structural equation model to investigate the direct and indirect effect of climate change awareness (CCA), environmental attitude (ATT), and perceived responsibility (PR) towards sustainable behavior (SB). Environmental concern (EC) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) are employed as mediators in a test. A total of 518 Greek winter tourists’ data were examined using SEM and multi-group analysis (MGA). It is indicated that CCA and PR directly predict SB with significant effects, and ATT’s influence is fully mediated. EC and PBC are used as significant psychological mediators, and PBC is indicated to possess a strong effect. MGA discloses significant gender, age, education, climate salience, and frequency of tourism behavior differences, provoking contextual differences that inform sustainability response. There is a theoretical contribution in the form of specification of dual roles played by cognitive control and emotional concern in determining sustainable tourism behavior. Practical implications inform the planning of interventions, particularly for policymakers, educators, and tourist managers. Future studies need to incorporate behavior information, examine causality, and carry out analysis to cultural and season levels.

The promise of sustainability of ecotourism relies on comprehending the psychological mechanism that converts experience into post-visit environmental concern. This research formulates and examines a model that connects three antecedents—Perceived Trip Quality (PTQ), Aesthetic/Spiritual Experience (ASE), and Environmental Concern (EC)—with Responsible Post-Visit Behavior (RPB) through two mediators: Tourist Satisfaction (SAT) and Personal Norms (PN). Structural equation modeling based on a quantitative, cross-sectional design examined survey responses from 585 Greek ecotourists. All three precursors meaningfully predicted RPB, directly and indirectly through SAT and PN, with partial mediation on all but the direct pathway. Mediation effects also named PN a stronger channel than SAT, particularly in converting affective and moral involvement into stable intentions. Multi-group tests for gender, age, education, environmental orientation, and previous ecotourism experience revealed significant differences; younger, inexperienced, and high-orientation tourists were more sensitive to normative and affective mechanisms. The research develops environmental and tourism psychology by combining value-based and experience-based routes to post-visit action. Practical recommendations are made to policymakers, educators, and operators to develop transformational, norm-activating experiences.