Introduction of unnecessary interacting elements might result in extraneous cognitive load. For example, a self-explanatory image creates a lower cognitive load than the image plus explanatory text. 

Johns Hopkins University

1. The Split Attention Effect
2. The Modality Effect
3. The Redundancy Effect
4. The Element Interactivity Effect
5. The Transient Information Effect

Effects of Extraneous Cognitive Load

Sweller, J. (2011). Cognitive load theory. In Psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 55, pp. 37-76). Academic Press.

Cognitive Load Theory

Splitting the attention of the learner would create extraneous cognitive load. Understanding a diagram or text requires physical or mental integration.

The Split-Attention Effect

Related information can be presented in different modalities (e.g., one visual source and one verbal source) rather than being physically integrated. Since processors of different modalities are partially independent and each has a limited capacity, dual modality presentation increase effective working memory and thereby decrease cognitive load.

The Modality Effect

The Redundancy Effect

If the inherent element interactivity of the information is low and therefore the intrinsic cognitive load is low, then element interactivity due to extraneous cognitive load would not have an impactful consequence. 

The Element Interactivity Effect

Information with high element interactivity presented in transient forms (i.e., non-permanent forms of presentation, like animations that cannot be easily and repeatedly accessed) will have negative consequences. 

The Transient Information Effect

Learners perform better when solving problems without a conventional goal, because to solve a conventional problem one must use a means-ends strategy where the current and goal states of the problem are both considered in order to find a way to reduce these differences; in this process, a higher extraneous cognitive load is generated.

The Goal-Free Effect

1. The Worked Example Effect
2. The Expertise Reversal Effect
3. The Problem Completion Effect and the Guidance Fading Effects
4. The Imagination Effect

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