Cognitive Load Research Articles

Combinations of physical and cognitive training for subcortical neurodegenerative diseases with physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms: a systematic review.

The onset of the symptoms of subcortical NDs is due to a unique part of the brain which strengthens the idea of reciprocal influence of physical activity and cognitive training in improving clinical symptoms. Consequently, protocols combining the two stimulations are becoming increasingly popular in NDs. Our threefold aim was to (A) describe the different combinations of physical and cognitive training used to alleviate the motor and cognitive symptoms of patients with subcortical neurodegenerative disorders, (B) compare the effects of these different combinations (sequential, dual tasking, synergical) on symptoms, and (C) recommend approaches for further studies. We conducted literature searches of PubMed, BASE and ACM, to carry out a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and controlled trials of combined physical and cognitive training among patients with Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lewy body dementia, spinocerebellar ataxia, Friedreich's ataxia, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Physical, neuropsychological, behavioral outcomes were considered. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to verify the critical appraisal. Twenty-one studies focused on Parkinson's disease with 940 participants were included. Despites promising benefits on cognitive and physical function, our results revealed discrepant findings for research on combined training. Inconsistencies were linked to the choice of tests, the functions that were targeted, disease progression, and trainings. There was a dearth of follow-up data. Differences between combined training are unclear, particularly regarding the role of cognitive load. Future studies should focus on comparing the feasibility, tolerability, and effectiveness of different combinations of motor-cognitive training.

Enhancing Cognitive Fit: Exploring the Potential of Mixed Reality for Developing Mental Rotation Skills

Mixed Reality is a promising venue for spatial ability training, allowing participants to engage in problem-solving through gesture-based interactions with holographic objects. 3-D measurement of learning in Mixed Reality environments may result in a better cognitive fit than 2-D. This mixed-method study measures and enhances mental rotation ability and investigates user experience in Mixed Reality. To assess mental rotation ability, we adapted the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test:Rotation for Microsoft HoloLens 2, creating a measurement tool for our Mixed Reality-based training program, Holomental. Comparing 2-D and 3-D tests, we explored how stimulus dimensionality influences accuracy and cognitive load. Our findings indicate that Holomental enhances mental rotation performance, both in 2-D and 3-D. Cognitive load in the 3-D test was lower than in the 2-D test. Semi-structured interviews revealed participants’ appreciation for the representational and interactional affordances of the training environment. This study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of 3-D spatial training, with implications and suggestions for future design considerations.

Gender differences in the use of an upper-extremity exoskeleton during physically and cognitively demanding tasks- a study protocol for a randomized experimental trial.

Upper limb exoskeletons are recommended to alleviate muscle fatigue, particularly in working conditions inducing musculoskeletal discomfort like overhead work. However, wearing an exoskeleton might introduce cognitive-motor interference, affecting performance. Understanding its neural impact and potential gender differences in design effects is crucial. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine exoskeleton effects addressing cross-gender comparisons, and exploring the impact on cognitive and physical workload in real-world scenarios. The research questions address the impact of exoskeleton use on muscle synergies, upper body posture, cognitive resources, comfort/discomfort, acceptance and usability. The cross-sectional study integrates a multifactorial mixed-measure design. Participants are grouped by gender (female vs. male) and working condition (with vs. without exoskeleton). Motor performance and underlying neuronal correlates (fNIRS) will be analyzed. Based on an a priori sample size calculation, 80 participants (40 female/40 male) will be recruited. Working performance will be assessed by 1. Physical Performance Task (PILE task) and 2. Precision Task (following the Fitts paradigm), while body postures will be monitored with an Xsens motion capture system. Brain activation will be captured with an fNIRS system comprising 32 active optodes. Postural comfort/discomfort, acceptance, and usability will be reported via standardized questionnaires. The study will gain insights into potential gender differences in exoskeleton use and will contribute to designing and optimizing the implementation of exoskeletons by considering muscle synergies, movement variability and cognitive resource allocation. Additionally, the study also highlights user discomfort, a crucial factor that could impede widespread adoption, particularly among females, in real-world scenarios.

Exploring the relationship between strategic attention breadth and performance: The role of corporate social responsibility

Abstract The attention-based view contends that executives possess limited attentional capabilities that must be carefully allocated across different strategic issues. Although many scholars contend that narrow strategic attention breadth leads to better performance, others argue that broad strategic attention breadth may be more beneficial due to better opportunity scanning. We posit that the relationship between strategic attention breadth and performance will be inverted U-shaped, where strategic attention breadth is positively related to firm performance up to an optimal point, after which firms will see declining benefits due to executive cognitive overload. Furthermore, we propose that executives’ assessment of strategic opportunities will be influenced by the firm’s corporate social responsibility perspective, as the firm’s environmental and ethical commitment may mitigate executive blind spots and enhance opportunity selection. We support our hypotheses with multiple measures of firm performance and a content analysis of annual reports corresponding to a 5-year longitudinal sample of 2,245 S&P 500 firms.

Does vibrotactile biofeedback for postural control interfere with cognitive processes?

BackgroundDirectional vibrotactile biofeedback for balance control can be instructed in the form of Repulsive (to move in the opposite direction of vibrations) or Attractive (to move in the direction of vibrations) stimulus encodings. However, which of these encodings is less cognitively demanding and poses less interference with high-level cognitive processes of conflict resolution remains unresolved.MethodsIn two between-subject studies with 30 (16 females) and 35 (23 females) healthy young adults, respectively, we investigated the cognitive load of Attractive and Repulsive vibrotactile biofeedback on 1) working memory (Study I) and 2) cognitive conflict resolution (Study II). Both studies also examined the effectiveness of both feedback stimulus encodings on balance control during quiet standing with eyes closed.ResultsBoth Attractive and Repulsive vibrotactile biofeedback increased balance stability (reduced trunk sway variability) in both the working memory and the conflict resolution study (Study I and II, respectively) with a greater increase of stability for the Repulsive encoding during multitasking demanding cognitive conflict resolution (Study II). Cognitive costs, measured in terms of the Linear Integrated Speed-Accuracy Score (LISAS), were greater for the Attractive encoding during multitasking with working memory demands. When cognitive conflict resolution was required as a secondary cognitive task, both stimulus encodings increased cognitive costs equally.ConclusionsThe effects of instructed Repulsive and Attractive stimulus encodings for the response-related interpretation of vibrotactile biofeedback of body sway were contrasted with respect to cognitive processing demands and balance stabilisation benefits. Both encodings improved balance stability but at certain cognitive costs. Regarding interference with specific high-level cognitive processes, however, a distinction has to be made between both encodings. Repulsive feedback encoding seems to cause less cognitive costs on working memory load and slightly greater stabilisation when cognitive conflict resolution is required. These results are discussed in the context of the known benefits of avoidance actions on cognitive control.

Mental workload as a predictor of burnout in intensive care nurses.

Nurses face a high level of mental workload while performing their duties. High levels of mental workload can negatively impact nurses. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between mental workload and burnout levels of intensive care nurses. Descriptive-correlational design has been adopted in this research. The sample consisted of 156 nurses working in the intensive care units of a hospital in the south of Turkey between September and December 2023. Research data were collected with the 'Participant Information Form', which includes socio-demographic characteristics, 'Mental Workload Scale' and 'Maslach Burnout Scale'. Almost all (95.5%) of the nurses participating in the study reported that their mental workload was high. It has been determined that there is a strong positive relationship between mental workload and burnout. According to the regression model obtained from the research, being a woman (β = .165, p = .008) and emotional workload (β = -695, p < .001) are determinants of emotional exhaustion. These variables explain emotional exhaustion at a rate of 50.1% (adjusted R2 = .501). Emotional workload (β = .399, p = .003) is the most important determinant of personal accomplishment. This variable explains 19.0% (adjusted R2 = .190) of personal accomplishment. The most important determinant of depersonalization is emotional workload (β = .324, p < .001). It was determined that this variable explained 24.4% (adjusted R2 = .244) of depersonalization. This research revealed that there is a strong positive relationship between mental workload and burnout and that increasing mental workload can increase burnout. Nurses' risk of emotional exhaustion increases as mental workload increases. Reducing cognitive workload, temporary workload and emotional workload increases the personal accomplishment experienced by nurses. In addition, as temporary workload, emotional workload and performance-related workload increase, the depersonalization experienced by nurses also increases.

Résultats d’un pré-test visant à évaluer l’efficacité d’une communication administrative gouvernementale (note de recherche)

This research note presents partial results of a user test assessing the “communicative effectiveness” (Clerc &amp; Beaudet, 2008) of a written communication aimed at citizens penalized for driving under the influence. The doctoral candidate is interested in the users interaction with an informational ecosystem composed of multiple sources of information. She compares the effectiveness of three ecosystems by checking their effects on users' comprehension, appreciation, and mental workload. These objectives require expanding the usual scope of the “communicative effectiveness” concept and exploring aspects related to reading/using multiple texts in an administrative context. The tests were conducted with 15 French-speaking adults without a high school diploma. An adapted version of the NASA-TLX questionnaire (Hart &amp; Staveland, 1988) was used to measure mental workload. The data suggest that when faced with a letter of a high informational density, users with low literacy levels focus their attention on peripheral details at the expense of the main ideas. No correlation was observed between comprehension and mental workload. The data are now considered a "pre-test" used to refine the research design for a second wave of interviews.

A case study of the subjective workload of forest equipment operators in South Carolina

ABSTRACT Logging operations in the Southern United States have become more mechanized over time. However, extensive use of complex and heavy forest machineries for long durations increases operator workload, especially the cognitive demand. Working under demanding conditions can decrease the health of forest equipment operators over time, reducing productivity and increasing the risk of accidents. This study provides an initial assessment of the workload of logging equipment operators during timber harvesting operations using conventional wheeled feller-buncher, grapple skidder, and knuckle-boom loader harvesting systems by assessing the subjective workload of the logging equipment operators in South Carolina. In addition, we observed the heart rate of equipment operators to study the activities causing excessive physical and mental workload. Logging equipment operators self-evaluated their workload using the NASA Task Load Index, a subjective measure of workload. Results show no significant difference in the overall workload of equipment operators working at clearcut and thinning sites. The workload dimensions of Effort and Frustration contributed the most to the overall workload, while Performance had the least contribution. Sudden heart rate spikes occurred when operators conducted physical activities such as clearing debris from a felling head but were otherwise unobserved.

Investigating mental workload across task modalities: a multimodal analysis using pupillometry

Understanding mental workload is challenging due to its multidimensional nature and varying sensitivities of its primary measures: task performance, perceived workload, and physiological responses. This study investigates the effects of task load on performance, perceived workload, and pupil measures across different information modalities. A within-subjects experiment involving three tasks (digit span, matrix span, and dual n-back) was conducted with three task load levels. Workload measures included accuracy/sensitivity, reaction time, NASA-TLX, peak pupil diameter, and peak pupil latency. Consistent patterns of associations between task load and these workload measures were found across the three modalities. Workload measures revealed a nuanced interplay between task modality and task load. Robustness of peak pupil latency, accuracy, and NASA-TLX was highlighted across verbal and visual modalities, while peak pupil diameter showed a weaker impact with differences between modalities. The findings encourage multivariate assessment of mental workload to account for different task modalities.

Effects of Head-Up Display Information Layout Design on Driver Performance: Driving Simulator Studies

Head-up displays (HUDs) enable drivers to receive additional information while maintaining a forward view of the road. However, due to human cognitive resource limitations, improper HUD interface design can pose safety risks, especially when multiple pieces of information are presented simultaneously. This study involved 45 participants and conducted two driving simulation experiments. Study 1 explored the impact of different HUD interface positions on driver cognitive performance in single cognitive task conditions. Study 2 validated the findings of Study 1 under multiple cognitive task conditions and further compared drivers’ cognitive performance, workload, driving operation, and eye movement between grouped and disordered information layouts on the HUD. The results indicated that the central area of the HUD interface provided the best cognitive performance, followed by the left side, with the right side performing the poorest. Grouped information layouts on the HUD proved superior to disordered layouts in terms of cognitive performance, workload, driving operation, and eye movement. An XGBoost regression model was proposed to predict the drivers’ comprehensive cognitive responses. This study could provide empirical evidence and practical recommendations for HUD interface design.

The influence of scaffolding for computational thinking on cognitive load and problem-solving skills in collaborative programming

The influence of scaffolding for computational thinking on cognitive load and problem-solving skills in collaborative programming

Enhancing fieldwork readiness in occupational therapy students with generative AI

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into health professions education is revolutionizing traditional teaching methodologies and enhancing learning experiences. This study explores the use of generative AI to aid occupational therapy (OT) students in intervention planning. OT students often lack the background knowledge to generate a wide variety of interventions, spending excessive time on idea generation rather than clinical reasoning, practice skills, and patient care. AI can enhance creative ideation but students must still adhere to evidence-based practice, patient safety, and privacy standards. Students used ChatGPT v. 3.5 in a lecture and assignment to integrate generative AI into intervention planning. Students analyzed a case study, generated ideas with ChatGPT, selected interventions that aligned with the client’s needs, and provided a rationale. They conducted evidence-based searches and wrote an analysis on how the research influenced their decisions. The results demonstrate generative AI’s potential as a valuable tool for OT students, enhancing their comfort with AI and understanding of ethical and safety considerations. Qualitative feedback highlighted AI’s role in boosting efficiency and creativity in intervention planning, with most students expressing strong intent to use ChatGPT in clinical practice due to its ability to reduce cognitive load and generate innovative ideas. These findings suggest that integrating generative AI into the OT curriculum could enhance intervention planning and improve clinical readiness.

An applied cognitive task analysis investigation of professional judgement and decision-making in a small group of high-level, UK-based caving instructors

ABSTRACT The professional judgement and decision-making processes of adventure sports coaches’ leadership practice is a growing area of research. However, the PJDM and underpinning epistemology of caving instructors has recived limited research focus. The decision-making practice of professionals working in complex and constrained environments has significant transferability to domains such as rescue and emergency services. Consequently, this paper investigates the leadership practice of a purposive sample of 3 UK based caving instructors, utilising an Applied Cognitive Task Analysis to access expert cognition. The study aimed specifically to examine the decision-making processes of this sub-group of outdoor professionals who work in difficult, multifaceted and demanding environments. Results supported and built upon previous work in adventure sports, specifically in confirming the complexity of judgement and decision-making underground. In particular, decision-making creates high cognitive loads because of environmental factors inherent in extended caving journeys. Loads are assuaged by the application of heuristics and planning, but naturalistic decision-making processes remain numerous and multifaceted. Findings have implications for National Governing Body instructor training programme design, with particular reference to the development of decision-making expertise in complex environments.

한반도 주변 해역 표층 수온 그래프를 해석하는 과정에서 중학생들이 인식하는 인지적 부담에 대한 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to identify the cognitive load that middle school students perceive in interpreting of sea surface temperature around the Korean Peninsula according to the type of graph, and to help middle school teachers develop teaching and learning materials by providing information related to cognitive load. Methods For This, we collected and analyzed data on the fixation duration and pupil diameter of middle school students(N=32) while interpreting of sea surface temperature around the Korean Peninsula using the eye tracker(Tobii Pro Glass 2 model). And we conducted an independent sample t-test using the Exel on two eye tracking data to confirm the cognitive load between the two groups. Results The results were as follows. First, the fixation duration rate was higher in the data area than in the legend area when middle school students read the sea surface temperature at the contoured graph. However, it was the opposite when they read the sea surface temperature at the colored graph. They depended on the legend area when reading the colored graph rather than when reading the contoured graph. Second, In all the processes of middle school students interpreting the graph, their pupil diameter was expanded compared to the standard pupil diameter. Their pupil diameter expanded more and more as they progressed to Step 1(the activity of reading temperature), Step 2(the activities to compare temperature gradients), and Step 3(the activities to find cause of the same temperature). The middle school students’ pupil diameter was further expanded when interpreting the colored graph rather than when interpreting the contoured graph. Conclusions Middle school students had more cognitive load when interpreting the colored graph rather than when interpreting the contoured graph. And they had more cognitive load in high-level activities than in low-level activities in the process of interpreting graphs. Therefore, it is necessary to reconstruct the graph of sea surface temperature around the Korean Peninsula to relieve the middle school students’ cognitive load.

The Interactive Effects of Video Type and Viewing Device on Pre-service Teachers’ Learning Performance

Classroom video use in teacher education is rising, but the interplay of video type (2D, panoramic) and viewing device (PC, HMD) on learning remains unexplored. This study examined the interactive effects of video type (2D, panoramic) and viewing device (PC, Head-Mounted Display [HMD]) on pre-service teachers’ learning performance. 143 pre-service teachers from a China university participated in a 2 × 2 randomized controlled experiment, viewing a 10-minute instructional video. Results indicate that panoramic video with HMD yielded the best learning outcomes, enhancing academic achievement, attention, presence, and immersion. Conversely, 2D video on HMD increased cognitive load. Interestingly, while PC-viewed panoramic video maximized attention, it also generated the highest cognitive load. Focus group interviews revealed the potential of immersive learning alongside challenges like motion sickness and navigation difficulties. This research provides empirical evidence for the interaction of video type and viewing devices in teacher education, informing the design of effective video-based learning.

Enhancing Learning Engagement: A Study on Gamification’s Influence on Motivation and Cognitive Load

Research has demonstrated that engagement in any learning environment improves learning and may even boost performance. Consequently, numerous scholars have examined various approaches to raising student engagement in learning. Gamification is one such approach because it is thought to increase motivation and reduce cognitive load to ultimately improve learning outcomes. However, some studies have called into question its benefits, prompting more research to be conducted to properly understand the phenomenon. Hence, the study examined gamification’s influence on motivation and cognitive load for enhancing learning engagement. The study was underpinned by the integration of the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model, self-determination theory (SDT), and cognitive load theory (CLT) in developing a conceptual framework. A sample of 407 university students who participated in five gamified courses were involved in the study. The data collected through a questionnaire were analyzed using SmartPLS structural equation modeling software. According to the study’s findings, both motivation and cognitive load influence engagement in learning, with cognitive load being the stronger influence. The study contributes to our knowledge by elucidating the relationship between gamification and students’ cognitive load and motivation to learn, as well as how these elements ultimately engage students in the learning process.

Developing and evaluating an e-learning and e-assessment tool for organic chemistry in higher education

A convincing e-learning system for higher education should offer adequate usability and not add unnecessary (extraneous) cognitive load. It should allow teachers to switch easily from traditional teaching to flipped classrooms to provide students with more opportunities to learn and receive immediate feedback. However, an efficient e-learning and technology-enhanced assessment tool that allows generating digital organic chemistry tasks is yet to be created. The Universities of Bonn and Duisburg-Essen are currently developing and evaluating an e-learning and technology-enhanced assessment tool for organic chemistry. This study compares the effectiveness of traditional paper-pencil-based and digital molecule-drawing tasks in terms of student performance, cognitive load, and usability—factors that all contribute to learning outcomes. Rasch analysis, t-tests, and correlation analyses were used for evaluation, revealing that the developed system can generate digital organic chemistry tasks. Students performed equally well on simple digital and paper-pencil molecule-drawing tasks when they received an appropriate introduction to the digital tool. However, using the digital tool in two of three studies imposes a higher extraneous cognitive load than using paper and pencil. Nevertheless, the students rated the tool as sufficiently usable. A significant negative correlation between extraneous load and tool usability was found, suggesting room for improvement. We are currently concentrating on augmenting the functionality of the new e-learning tool to increase its potential for automatic feedback, even for complex tasks such as reaction mechanisms.

Using multivariate partial least squares on fNIRS data to examine load-dependent brain-behaviour relationships in aging.

Researchers implementing non-invasive neuroimaging have reported distinct load-dependent brain activity patterns in older adults compared with younger adults. Although findings are mixed, these age-related patterns are often associated with compensatory mechanisms of cognitive decline even in the absence of direct comparisons between brain activity and cognitive performance. This study investigated the effects of cognitive load on brain-behavior relationships in younger and older adults using a data-driven, multivariate partial least squares (PLS) analysis of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data. We measured bilateral prefrontal brain activity in 31 older and 27 younger adults while they performed single and dual 2-back tasks. Behavioral PLS analysis was used to determine relationships between performance metrics (reaction time and error rate) and brain oxygenation (HbO) and deoxygenation (HbR) patterns across groups and task loads. Results revealed significant age-group differences in brain-behavior relationships. In younger adults, increased brain activity (i.e., increased HbO and decreased HbR) was associated with faster reaction times and better accuracy in the single task, indicating sufficient neural capacity. Conversely, older adults showed a negative correlation between HbR and error rates in the single task; however, in the dual task, they demonstrated a positive relationship between HbO and performance, indicative of compensatory mechanisms under the higher cognitive load. Overall, older adults' showed relationships with either HbR or HbO, but not both, indicating that the robustness of the relationship between brain activity and behavior varies across task load conditions. Our PLS approach revealed distinct load-dependent brain activity between age groups, providing further insight into neurocognitive aging patterns, such as compensatory mechanisms, by emphasizing the variability and complexity of brain-behavior relationships. Our findings also highlight the importance of considering task complexity and cognitive demands in interpreting age-related brain activity patterns.

Spontaneous eye blinking as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in disorders of consciousness: Protocol of an international multicentre longitudinal study.

Diagnostic and prognostic decision-making in patients with Disorders of Consciousness (DoC) is challenging. It has been suggested that spontaneous eye blink rate is an index of patients' level of consciousness easy to detect in clinical practice. Further blinking features (i.e., amplitude, duration, variability in intervals between blinks) may change as a function of cognitive load, but have not been investigated in patients with DoC. This multicentre, longitudinal study aims at exploring the diagnostic and prognostic value of spontaneous eye blinking features in DoC. Eight European medical institutions will enrol consecutively admitted adult patients with DoC. Within two weeks from study entry demographic, anamnestic and clinical data will be collected. Moreover, patients will undergo two 20-minute EEG-EOG recordings at rest, to collect blinking features and EEG activity. A clinical follow-up will be performed after 6 months. A group of healthy individuals will be enrolled for reference. Possible differences in blink features between patients and the reference group, differences across diagnostic sub-groups, and correlations between blinking features and clinical outcome will be investigated. The results of this study might help clinicians to reduce misdiagnosis rate in DoC and provide useful information for prognostication and care pathway plan.

Comparing the effects of a specific task instruction and prompts on pre-service teachers’ noticing of classroom management situations

AbstractAttending to relevant information in complex classroom situations can be a challenging task for pre-service teachers which is why teacher education programs often use authentic classroom videos to scaffold pre-service teachers’ professional vision. However, to date, it remains unclear which instructions can guide pre-service teachers’ attention toward classroom management situations to promote the early development of teacher professional vision. This mixed-methods study (n = 85 pre-service teachers) compared effects of (a) a specific task instruction before watching a classroom video and (b) prompts during the classroom video on noticing—indicated by the number, velocity, and relevance of identified classroom management situations. Controlling for mental effort and pedagogical-psychological knowledge, t-Tests showed both types of instruction to have a similar attention-guiding effect. Qualitative analyses of retrospective interviews revealed that pre-service teachers identified verbal reactive classroom management strategies more easily than nonverbal strategies when observing experienced teachers in the classroom videos. We discuss specific task instructions as an economic alternative to the use of prompts in video-based teacher education and—based on our qualitative findings—provide directions for future research.