Contents:
Course with employment: "The Profession of Methodologist from Scratch to PRO"
Find out moreWhat place do emotions occupy in cognitive load theory?
In cognitive load theory, emotions are analyzed through four key aspects. These aspects help to understand how emotional states influence the process of perception and processing of information. Emotions can both improve and worsen cognitive functions, which makes them important for the educational process and the development of effective teaching methods. Studying these aspects allows us to optimize teaching approaches taking into account the emotional state of students, thereby increasing their motivation and the effectiveness of material assimilation.
- As external cognitive load, when the emotions experienced by the student occupy the already limited resources of working memory. There is evidence that physical pain experienced by a person increases cognitive load during the learning process. Agree, it's difficult to follow what the lecturer is saying if you're suffering from a headache or toothache, for example. It's also been proven that negative emotions caused by social isolation affect the same areas of the brain as physical pain. Therefore, researchers believe that negative experiences can affect cognitive load in the same way as pain.
- As intrinsic cognitive load, if learning itself is devoted to regulating emotions. Then, the emotions a person tries to manage are related to the learning task.
- As a factor influencing learning motivation—the willingness to exert mental effort to understand the topic, solve a problem, and so on. Through motivation, emotions also affect intrinsic cognitive load: thanks to pleasant emotions, a learning task may seem easier to students than it actually is, while thanks to unpleasant emotions, on the contrary, it may seem more difficult.
- As a factor directly influencing working memory. According to Barbara Fredrickson's "Broaden-and-Build" theory, negative emotions narrow a person's range of available thoughts and actions, directing them exclusively toward relieving stressors. Positive emotions, on the other hand, expand this range, leading to a more open-minded mind, curiosity, creativity, freedom to experiment, and collaboration. Some researchers believe that this broadening effect allows the brain to process new information more efficiently (meaning a person understands and remembers it better) and better utilize information stored in long-term memory (which is necessary to retrieve previous knowledge and associations important for mastering a new topic).
The authors of the new study focused on the impact of emotional states on the learning process. They hypothesized that negative emotions such as fear, shame, and loneliness increase students' extraneous cognitive load, making it more difficult to complete academic tasks. At the same time, researchers have suggested that positive emotions, according to Barbara Fredrickson's theory, contribute to the expansion of the cognitive "repertoire," allowing students to more effectively manage external cognitive load. This, in turn, can reduce the load and free up working memory resources for more productive learning.
The researchers presented the mechanism in the form of a hypothetical model.
How the study was conducted
To test the hypotheses, the scientists conducted an experiment involving 342 7th and 8th grade students from three Australian schools. The study aimed to identify patterns in learning and information retrieval among adolescents.
A few days before the main stage of the experiment, the students were offered a math test to assess their preliminary knowledge. As part of a math lesson, the students watched three short educational videos lasting from one to three minutes. The first video lesson covered solving simple equations in one step, the second - equations in two steps, and the third - a system of equations with two variables. The video lessons were organized according to the principle of increasing complexity, which allowed for a gradual increase in the cognitive load on the students. This approach promotes more effective assimilation of the material and the development of mathematical skills.
After watching the videos, participants completed a questionnaire in which they rated the external, internal, and relevant cognitive load experienced during viewing. The students also completed the PANAS-C questionnaire, an adapted version of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale for Children and Adolescents. This questionnaire includes 12 positive and 15 negative emotional states. For this experiment, the researchers reduced the list of negative emotions to six associated with psychological pain: "sad," "upset," "unhappy," "ashamed," "fearful," and "lonely." Each participant rated on a scale of 1 to 5 how close this state was to their feelings at the moment.
After completing the questionnaires, the students took an additional math test. This allowed the researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of the training conducted using video lessons.
What the researchers found
The results of the experiment only partially confirmed the researchers' hypotheses. As expected, students experiencing negative emotions showed a higher extraneous cognitive load compared to other participants. This indicates that they had a harder time focusing on the material. As a result, their academic achievement was lower, and they performed, on average, worse on the final test than their peers.
The study authors argue that painful psychological experiences can have a significant impact on working memory. These emotional loads can make it difficult for students to use available mental resources to effectively cope with external cognitive demands. This underscores the importance of considering students' psychological states when assessing their ability to cope with academic tasks and workloads.
The study found no significant relationship between positive emotions and external cognitive load, meaning that positive emotions do not contribute to a reduction in external cognitive load. However, students who experienced happiness demonstrated higher learning outcomes compared to their less happy peers. The researchers explained that the relationship between positive emotions and learning is direct and independent of external cognitive load. This underscores the importance of emotional state for successful learning.
Positive emotions can have a significant impact on learning, even when they are not directly related to external cognitive load. The authors suggest that further research is needed to better understand this mechanism. Motivation may play a key role: happy students are more likely to put effort into mastering the material and solving academic problems. Meanwhile, students experiencing psychological pressure may be focused on other issues, which hinders their learning. It's also possible that learning itself can evoke positive emotions, especially when students are interested in what they're learning and quickly grasp the new material. Thus, a positive emotional state can contribute to more effective learning and improved academic performance.
As a result of the experiment, the scientists updated the original model, taking into account the identified relationships. This allowed us to more accurately reflect the results of the study and increase its scientific value.
What should teachers and methodologists consider?
The study's authors emphasize the importance of teaching schoolchildren emotional regulation strategies, which involves managing their emotions. The results of the experiment show that this is essential not only for students' psychological well-being and creating a positive classroom atmosphere, but also for improving academic performance. The researchers also note that evoking positive emotions in adolescents before beginning challenging academic tasks is beneficial. This helps improve their concentration and reduce stress, which, in turn, can lead to more successful completion of academic tasks.
Andrew Watson, a former teacher and recognized popularizer of cognitive science in education, shared several recommendations for educators based on the results of his experiment. In his blog, Learning & the Brain, he emphasizes the importance of following certain assumptions that will help improve the educational process. Watson suggests that teachers consider the peculiarities of students' perception and processing of information, as well as implement methods that promote the development of critical thinking and independence. Applying these principles can significantly improve the quality of learning and student engagement in the learning process.
- The results of the study support the idea that emotions and thinking do not exist in isolation - they are intertwined and influence each other.
- The study found that students experiencing negative emotions also experience increased cognitive load. However, the study design does not allow us to establish a causal relationship: do negative emotions increase cognitive load, or does high cognitive load cause negative emotions? Or perhaps the relationship is bidirectional? But it's important to be aware of this effect in any case.
Watson believes that observations can be used to develop a set of flexible pedagogical strategies. If students come to class in a bad mood or upset, this can negatively impact their working memory. In such cases, it is advisable to begin the lesson with simple learning materials and easy tasks. On the other hand, if students show no interest in the lesson, this may indicate emotional problems. In such situations, it is important for the teacher to pay attention to the students' state and find out the reasons before continuing to explain the topic. This approach promotes more effective learning and creates a comfortable atmosphere for students.
Andrew Watson describes the connection between emotions and thinking as a "two-way street." When a student experiences upset, this can make it difficult to complete a learning task. Conversely, if a student encounters difficulty solving a task, this can also lead to upset. A 2023 study of German schoolchildren confirmed this mechanism: assessment results directly influenced the students' emotional state. In turn, mood influenced self-confidence, motivation, and subsequent academic achievement. Thus, students' emotional state plays a key role in their educational process and success.
According to Watson, there are no simple answers or universal solutions in this area. It is important to consider the complex interactions between emotions and cognitive abilities. Pedagogical decisions must be made taking into account the specific situation, which emphasizes the need for an individual approach in education.
