The art of thinking · 5 · Cognitive load and learning
Extraneous cognitive load
Also known as: Extraneous load, Ineffective cognitive load
German: extrinsische kognitive Belastung
In cognitive load theory, extraneous cognitive load is the working memory load caused by the way information is presented or a task is structured rather than by the content to be learned; it does not contribute to understanding and can be reduced by changing the design.
- Cognitive psychology
- Learning
In one sentence
Extraneous cognitive load comes from how information is presented, not from the content, and can be reduced by changing the design.
Example
A wiring procedure names a terminal “X3:4” in the text, “connector 3, pin 4” in the figure and “PE return” in the table; readers spend effort matching the names before they can follow the step.
What the research shows
In cognitive load theory, extraneous load is the part of the load that instruction can remove without changing what is learned. Paul Chandler and John Sweller (1991) showed that integrating text into diagrams, instead of placing them separately, improved learning in technical domains; John Sweller (1994) set extraneous load against intrinsic load as the load due to instructional design. The classic sources of extraneous load are split attention between sources that must be integrated mentally, redundant information that must be processed although it adds nothing, and problem-solving search where a worked example would do. Sweller (2010) explained extraneous load, like intrinsic load, by element interactivity — here interactivity created by the presentation.
Evidence status
The effects attributed to extraneous load (split attention, redundancy, worked examples) are well replicated in instructional experiments. Whether a given feature is extraneous depends on the learner: the expertise reversal effect shows that explanations that help novices become extraneous for experts. Measuring extraneous load separately from other load remains difficult (see cognitive load theory). Most studies concern learning; their transfer to reading at work is plausible but less tested.
How it applies
Separated labels and figures, information scattered over several places and inconsistent terminology make readers do work that has nothing to do with the task. The glossary “Applied cognitive psychology for information use” covers the design principles, for example spatial contiguity, redundancy and coherence. Reducing extraneous load is a matter of presentation; it never means removing required content.
External references
- Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design (Sweller, Learning and Instruction, 1994)
- Cognitive load theory and the format of instruction (Chandler and Sweller, Cognition and Instruction, 1991)
- Element interactivity and intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load (Sweller, 2010)
How to read this pool
Entries, context cards and transitional topics
The art of thinking explains ways of thinking — where a method comes from, what it asks of you and how it was adapted later. You meet four kinds of content here, each with its own job:
- Glossary entry
- Defines one concept or method of thinking: its origin, an example and how it relates to neighboring ideas. “X vs. Y” sections set two methods side by side.
- Context card of the art of thinking
- A short, self-contained answer to one question about a way of thinking — its lineage, its steps, its limits. These cards are listed on The art of thinking only.
- Transitional topicBridges both pools
- A context card that bridges both pools: it shows how a way of thinking was adapted into documentation, analysis or quality practice. It sits with the reference context cards and is marked as transitional wherever it appears.
- Reference entry or context card
- Belongs to the Glossary & Norms Space on regulation, norms and engineering. Entries here link to one only where a method is also an established tool of documentation or quality work, such as the five whys or a user’s mental model.