Locating and Reducing Cognitive Load in Paced and Unpaced Tasks

Abstract

Heart rate variability often decreases with increased cognitive load (Kalsbeek, 1971). Studies (Manenica, 1977) varying task pacing requirements unexpectedly revealed decreased SA in self-pacing (self-controlled intra-task event timing) compared to external-pacing (experimenter- or apparatus-controlled event timing). But why should self-pacing ever involve higher cognitive load? Since Ss must time events and otherwise monitor and structure their own performance in self- but not external-pacing, perhaps these responsibilities lead to higher cognitive load in self-pacing when work-rates are equated between self-and externally-paced conditions.

Two experiments were conducted to examine possible sources of cognitive load in self-pacing. In Experiment II, an attempt was made to reduce cognitive load by providing new sources of extrinsic feedback on a visual display. In both studies physical work load was held constant across experimental conditions.