Cognitive Load

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Cognitive Load: The total amount of mental effort required to complete a task involving the processing of information.

When the (cognitive) load exceeds our mind’s ability to process and store it, we’re unable to retain the information or to draw connections with other memories. We can’t translate the new material into conceptual knowledge. Our ability to learn suffers, and our understanding remains weak. – Nicholas Carr

Essentially, when cognitive load increases, so does the likelihood of making mistakes and it will interfere with our ability to complete a task.