Cognitive load theory
Comprehensive study guide for IB Psychology
Study Notes
Mark Scheme
SECTION A MARK SCHEME (4 marks) Must Include: • Working memory has limited capacity (Sweller) • Intrinsic load: task's inherent difficulty • Extraneous load: presentation design/distractions • Germane load: effort for schema building/learning • Too much total load → cognitive overload • Concrete scenario mapping all three loads • Learning outcome impaired by overload
Link Formula: "[Scenario] creates intrinsic load (difficulty) + extraneous load (distraction) + germane load (learning), exceeding capacity and impairing [learning outcome]."
Watch Out: Don't confuse the three loads—each operates differently. Always show how total load affects learning, not just that load exists.
SECTION B MARK SCHEME (6 marks) 0 marks: No relevant knowledge. 1–2 marks: Basic definition; minimal application. 3–4 marks: Load types described; partial application. 5–6 marks: Sweller credited; all three load types correctly defined; each load type explicitly mapped onto the scenario; "instructional design" in the closing demonstrates applied understanding; explicit link to scenario outcome.
Why Full Marks
Sweller credited; all three load types correctly defined; each load type explicitly mapped onto the lecture/note-taking example (intrinsic = new concepts, extraneous = split attention, germane = schema construction); "instructional design" in the closing demonstrates applied understanding.
Model Answer
Section A Sample Answer
Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller) relates to the amount of mental effort held in working memory. It identifies three types of load: intrinsic load (the inherent difficulty of the material), extraneous load (mental effort caused by poor task presentation), and germane load (effort used to build schemas). Since working memory has a strictly limited capacity, learning is hindered if the total cognitive load exceeds this threshold.
This explains why students struggle to take notes while listening to a complex lecture. The intrinsic load of the new concepts combined with the extraneous load of splitting attention exceeds the student's working memory capacity. Because no resources are left for germane load, they experience cognitive overload, which reduces their ability to process information. This demonstrates how exceeding working memory capacity impairs learning, which has significant implications for instructional design.
Section B Sample Answer
CLT suggests that working memory has a limited capacity and identifies three loads: intrinsic (task difficulty), extraneous (distractions), and germane (effort for schema formation). In the hub, students experience high extraneous load due to bright lights and open seating. This reduces the resources available for germane load—the effort needed to learn the new technology. This explains the performance drop by showing that the total cognitive load exceeded the students' working memory capacity, leading to cognitive overload and a failure to form the new schemas required to complete the task.