Element Interactivity and Intrinsic, Extraneous, and Germane Cognitive Load

By John Sweller. 2010

1,840 citations recorded by the source corpus.

In cognitive load theory, element interactivity has been used as the basic, defining mechanism of intrinsic cognitive load for many years. In this article, it is suggested that element interactivity underlies extraneous cognitive load as well. By defining extraneous cognitive load in terms of element interactivity, a distinct relation between intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load can be established based on whether element interactivity is essential to the task at hand or whether it is a function of instructional procedures. Furthermore, germane cognitive load can be defined in terms of intrinsic cognitive load, thus also associating germane cognitive load with element interactivity. An analysis of the consequences of explaining the various cognitive load effects in terms of element interactivity is carried out.

Subfields: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ef8de773fe006212c0900008b896d00984534f7b

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Citations in the corpus

How Students Learn Content in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Through Drawing Activities (2019, positive): “These effects are likely a result of the increased mental effort involved in constructive engagement with the content (Sweller 2010).”
From Cognitive Load Theory to Collaborative Cognitive Load Theory (2018, methodology): “The use of cognitive load theory for these different types of tasks has also been well recorded, for example Van Merriënboer and Sweller (2010), Rourke and Sweller (2009), and Sweller et al. (2011a, 2011b).”
A psychological perspective on augmented reality in the mathematics classroom (2013, background): “There is a cognitive load imposed while the student interacts with the application (Sweller, 2010).”
Educational Implications of Expertise Reversal Effects in Learning and Performance of Complex Cognitive and Sensorimotor Skills (2012, background): “(e.g., Kalyuga, 2011; Schnotz & Kürschner, 2007; Sweller, 2010), the expertise reversal effect holds well as a well-established empirical phenomenon.”
Learning with desktop virtual reality: Low spatial ability learners are more positively affected (2014, background): “TE The capability of working memory is limited to deal with two to four elements at any given time in the sense of combining, contrasting, or manipulating elements (Sweller, 2005; van Merrienboer & Sweller, 2010).”
Using Electroencephalography to Measure Cognitive Load (2010, background): “Germane load is defined as the cognitive resources required to handle intrinsic cognitive load (see Sweller 2010 in this issue for a detailed discussion of element interactivity and cognitive load effects and types).”
Can Collaborative Learning Improve the Effectiveness of Worked Examples in Learning Mathematics? (2017, background): “Few attempts have investigated worked examples in collaborative settings (e.g., F. Kirschner, Paas, Kirschner, & Janssen, 2011; Retnowati, Ayres, & Sweller, 2010).”
Cognitive-Load Theory: Methods to Manage Working Memory Load in the Learning of Complex Tasks (2020, background): “According to CLT, intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load are additive (Sweller, 2010; Sweller et al., 2011).”
Understanding instructional design effects by differentiated measurement of intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load (2020, background): “Cognitive Load Theory (CLT; Chandler and Sweller 1991, Sweller 2010a) presents a model describing different aspects of load that are rel‑ evant during learning.”
Accounting for Beneficial Effects of Worked Examples in Tutored Problem Solving (2010, background): “Other features, like (d) hints only on request and (e) prompts for self-explanation, may increase the effort required but also enhance learning, that is, they may increase “germane cognitive load” (Sweller 2010; Sweller et al. 1998).”
Misinformation sharing and social media fatigue during COVID-19: An affordance and cognitive load perspective (2020, neutral): “Cognitive load is conceptualised to constitute an intrinsic, extraneous and germane load (Sweller, 2010).”
Understanding Cognitive Load in Digital and Online Learning: a New Perspective on Extraneous Cognitive Load (2021, background): “A second mechanism can be compared to the way learners ’ expertise can determine whether information is essential or extraneous for a learning task (Kalyuga, 2007; Sweller, 2010).”
Learning programming via worked-examples: Relation of learning styles to cognitive load (2014, background): “According to Sweller (2010), germane load is of a different category and so differs from both intrinsic and extraneous load.”
Getting the point: Tracing worked examples enhances learning (2015, methodology): “Such inconsistency in the 92 measurement suggests that these attempts to separately measure cognitive load still have not yet yielded convincing evidence for a valid and reliable differential measure of cognitive load (Kalyuga, 2011).”