Definition:
Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to process information, make decisions, or complete tasks at a given time.
Usage Context:
Used in psychology, education, user experience design, workplace systems, bureaucracy, and policy design.
Critical Note:
Cognitive load is often treated as an individual capacity issue. In institutional contexts, it is frequently designed into systems through complexity, fragmentation, and poor information architecture, shifting responsibility for coping onto individuals rather than simplifying structures.
Related Terms:
Administrative Burden, Decision Fatigue, Choice Overload, Cognitive Overload, Friction by Design