INTRODUCTION: The growing focus on teaching research in higher education due to rapid socio-economic development has diminished the importance of teaching. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) addresses this by promoting systematic research on teaching practices. However, integrating SoTL into organizational performance management remains challenging, especially in China. This study examines how leader-member exchange (LMX) affects university teachers' SoTL performance, considering psychological capital as a mediator and LMX differentiation and traditionality as moderators. METHODS: Based on social exchange theory, resource conservation theory, and social comparison theory, this study developed a cross-level three-order regulatory moderated mediation model. Data were collected from 351 university teachers across 68 grassroots teaching organizations in three universities in central China. Measures included LMX, psychological capital, traditionality, and SoTL performance. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and PROCESS macro for mediation and moderation effects. RESULTS: The results showed a strong positive correlation between LMX and SoTL performance ( DISCUSSION: This study highlights the critical role of LMX in enhancing university teachers' SoTL performance through psychological capital. It underscores the importance of psychological capital as a mediator and the complex moderating effects of LMX differentiation and traditionality. The findings suggest that optimizing LMX relationships, developing psychological capital, and leveraging traditionality can significantly improve SoTL performance. The study provides new insights into the application of LMX theory in higher education and offers practical strategies for enhancing teaching quality in Chinese universities.