The psychology of learning with generative AI in foreign language education: building a theory of metacognition, trust, and human–AI co-regulation through a systematic review

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping foreign language education, yet the psychological processes underlying effective learner–AI interaction remain fragmented. This theory-building systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence on metacognition, trust, and human–AI co-regulation in GenAI-supported foreign language learning. Following PRISMA 2020 procedures, web of science and Scopus were searched for studies published from 2022 to June 2026. After screening, 51 empirical studies were included. The findings show that metacognition shapes learners’ planning, monitoring, regulation, and reflection; trust influences how learners accept, verify, modify, or reject AI-generated information and feedback; and human–AI co-regulation involves the dynamic distribution of cognitive and regulatory activity between learners and GenAI within teacher-mediated instructional contexts. AI literacy and learner agency further support critical evaluation, strategic AI use, and retention of human decision-making responsibility. Based on these findings, the review develops the metacognition–trust–co-regulation (MTC) framework, which conceptualizes effective GenAI-assisted learning as an iterative process in which metacognitive regulation informs trust, trust calibrates reliance, and reliance shapes human–AI co-regulation. The framework positions GenAI as a cognitive partner whose educational value depends on critically informed, metacognitively regulated, and humanly governed use.