Editing Cognitive load (section)

==Sub-population studies==
===Individual differences===
As of 1984 it was established for example, that there were individual differences in processing capacities between [[novice]]s and [[expert]]s. Experts have more knowledge or experience with regard to a specific task which reduces the cognitive load associated with the task. Novices do not have this experience or knowledge and thus have heavier cognitive load.<ref name="Murphy and Wright 1984">{{cite journal |last1=Murphy |first1=Gregory L. |last2=Wright |first2=Jack C. |title=Changes in conceptual structure with expertise: Differences between real-world experts and novices |journal=Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition |date=1984 |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=144–155 |doi=10.1037/0278-7393.10.1.144 }}</ref>

===Elderly===
The danger of heavy cognitive load is seen in the elderly population. Aging can cause declines in the efficiency of [[working memory]] which can contribute to higher cognitive load.<ref name="Wingfield et al. 2007">{{cite journal |last1=Wingfield |first1=Arthur |last2=Stine |first2=Elizabeth A.L. |last3=Lahar |first3=Cindy J. |last4=Aberdeen |first4=John S. |title=Does the capacity of working memory change with age? |journal=Experimental Aging Research |date=27 September 2007 |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=103–107 |doi=10.1080/03610738808259731 |pmid=3234452 }}</ref> Heavy cognitive load can disturb [[balance (ability)|balance]] in elderly people. The relationship between heavy cognitive load and control of [[center of mass]] are heavily correlated in the elderly population. As cognitive load increases, the sway in center of mass in elderly individuals increases.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Andersson |first1=Gerhard |last2=Hagman |first2=Jenni |last3=Talianzadeh |first3=Roya |last4=Svedberg |first4=Alf |last5=Larsen |first5=Hans Christian |s2cid=22614522 |title=Effect of cognitive load on postural control |journal=Brain Research Bulletin |date=May 2002 |volume=58 |issue=1 |pages=135–139 |doi=10.1016/s0361-9230(02)00770-0 |pmid=12121823 }}</ref> A 2007 study examined the relationship between body sway and cognitive function and their relationship during multitasking and found disturbances in balance led to a decrease in performance on the cognitive task.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Faulkner |first1=Kimberly A. |last2=Redfern |first2=Mark S. |last3=Cauley |first3=Jane A. |last4=Landsittel |first4=Douglas P. |last5=Studenski |first5=Stephanie A. |last6=Rosano |first6=Caterina |last7=Simonsick |first7=Eleanor M. |last8=Harris |first8=Tamara B. |last9=Shorr |first9=Ronald I. |last10=Ayonayon |first10=Hilsa N. |last11=Newman |first11=Anne B. |last12=Health, Aging, and Body Composition |first12=Study. |title=Multitasking: Association Between Poorer Performance and a History of Recurrent Falls |journal=Journal of the American Geriatrics Society |date=April 2007 |volume=55 |issue=4 |pages=570–576 |doi=10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01147.x |pmid=17397436 |s2cid=32223760 }}</ref>  Conversely, an increasing demand for balance can increase cognitive load.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

===College students===
As of 2014, an increasing cognitive load for students using a laptop in school has become a concern. With the use of [[Facebook]] and other social forms of communication, adding multiple tasks jeopardizes students performance in the classroom. When many cognitive resources are available, the probability of switching from one task to another is high and does not lead to optimal switching behavior.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Calderwood |first1=Charles |last2=Ackerman |first2=Phillip L. |last3=Conklin |first3=Erin Marie |title=What else do college students 'do' while studying? An investigation of multitasking |journal=Computers & Education |date=June 2014 |volume=75 |pages=19–29 |doi=10.1016/j.compedu.2014.02.004 }}</ref> In a study from 2013, both students who were heavy Facebook users and students who sat nearby those who were heavy Facebook users performed poorly and resulted in lower [[GPA]].<ref name="When it comes to Facebook there may"/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sana |first1=Faria |last2=Weston |first2=Tina |last3=Cepeda |first3=Nicholas J. |title=Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers |journal=Computers & Education |date=March 2013 |volume=62 |pages=24–31 |doi=10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.003 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Children===
In 2004, British psychologists, [[Alan Baddeley]] and [[Graham Hitch]] proposed that the components of [[working memory]] are in place at 6 years of age.<ref name="Children">{{cite journal |last1=Gathercole |first1=Susan E. |last2=Pickering |first2=Susan J. |last3=Ambridge |first3=Benjamin |last4=Wearing |first4=Hannah |title=The Structure of Working Memory From 4 to 15 Years of Age |journal=Developmental Psychology |date=2004 |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=177–190 |doi=10.1037/0012-1649.40.2.177 |pmid=14979759 |citeseerx=10.1.1.529.2727 }}</ref> They found a clear difference between adult and child knowledge. These differences were due to developmental increases in processing efficiency.<ref name="Children"/> Children lack general knowledge, and this is what creates increased cognitive load in children. Children in impoverished families often experience even higher cognitive load in learning environments than those in middle-class families.<ref name="Siegler and Alibali"/> These children do not hear, talk, or learn about schooling concepts because their parents often do not have formal education.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}} When it comes to learning, their lack of experience with numbers, words, and concepts increases their cognitive load.

As children grow older they develop superior basic processes and capacities.<ref name="Siegler and Alibali">{{cite book |last1=Siegler |first1=Robert S. |last2=Alibali |first2=Martha Wagner |title=Children's Thinking |date=2005 |publisher=Pearson Education/Prentice Hall |isbn=978-0-13-111384-8 }}{{page needed|date=July 2020}}</ref> They also develop [[metacognition]], which helps them to understand their own cognitive activities.<ref name="Siegler and Alibali"/> Lastly, they gain greater content knowledge through their experiences.<ref name="Siegler and Alibali"/> These elements help reduce cognitive load in children as they develop.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

[[Gesture|Gesturing]] is a technique children use to reduce cognitive load while speaking.<ref name="Gathercole">{{cite journal |last1=Ping |first1=Raedy |last2=Goldin-Meadow |first2=Susan |title=Gesturing Saves Cognitive Resources When Talking About Nonpresent Objects |journal=Cognitive Science |date=May 2010 |volume=34 |issue=4 |pages=602–619 |doi=10.1111/j.1551-6709.2010.01102.x |pmid=21564226 |pmc=3733275 }}</ref> By gesturing, they can free up [[working memory]] for other tasks.<ref name="Gathercole"/> Pointing allows a child to use the object they are pointing at as the best representation of it, which means they do not have to hold this representation in their [[working memory]], thereby reducing their cognitive load.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ballard |first1=Dana H. |last2=Hayhoe |first2=Mary M. |author-link2=Mary Hayhoe |last3=Pook |first3=Polly K. |last4=Rao |first4=Rajesh P. N. |date=1 December 1997 |title=Deictic codes for the embodiment of cognition |journal=Behavioral and Brain Sciences |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=723–742 |citeseerx=10.1.1.49.3813 |doi=10.1017/s0140525x97001611 |pmid=10097009 |s2cid=1961389}}</ref> Additionally, gesturing about an object that is absent reduces the difficulty of having to picture it in their mind.<ref name="Gathercole"/>

===Poverty===
As of 2013 it has been theorized that an impoverished environment can contribute to cognitive load.<ref name="Mani et al. 2013">{{cite journal |last1=Mani |first1=A. |last2=Mullainathan |first2=S. |last3=Shafir |first3=E. |last4=Zhao |first4=J. |s2cid=1684186 |title=Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function |journal=Science |date=29 August 2013 |volume=341 |issue=6149 |pages=976–980 |doi=10.1126/science.1238041 |pmid=23990553 |bibcode=2013Sci...341..976M |citeseerx=10.1.1.398.6303 }}</ref> Regardless of the task at hand, or the processes used in solving the task, people who experience poverty also experience higher cognitive load. A number of factors contribute to the cognitive load in people with lower [[socioeconomic status]] that are not present in middle and upper-class people.<ref name="Hackman and Farah">{{cite journal |last1=Hackman |first1=Daniel A. |last2=Farah |first2=Martha J. |title=Socioeconomic status and the developing brain |journal=Trends in Cognitive Sciences |date=February 2009 |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=65–73 |doi=10.1016/j.tics.2008.11.003 |pmid=19135405 |pmc=3575682 }}</ref>