Influencing Cognitive Strategy by Manipulating Information Access
Open accessAbstract
Recent developments in technology have meant that operators of complex systems, such as those found in the modern aircraft cockpit, now have access to an unprecedented volume of information. Significant focus within computer science and engineering has therefore been placed upon developing methods by which task-relevant information can be made as accessible as possible within the interface, thus reducing operator workload—a goal of traditional human factors approaches to interface design. Recent theoretical perspectives of adaptive human cognition [Gray, W.D. and Fu, W.-T. (2004). Soft constraints in interactive behaviour: the case of ignoring perfect knowledge in the world for imperfect knowledge in the head. Cogn. Sci., 28, 359–383] suggest that there is a delicate balance and a series of trade-offs between information access at the interface and resulting human interactive behaviour. A distinction has been drawn between display- and memory-based strategies. Two experiments are reported that investigated the relationship between information access and the selection of cognitive strategy, particularly the effect on learning and memory. Experiment 1 varied the cost of accessing information in a routine copying task, and found that higher access costs (e.g. mouse movement plus 1-s delay) led to the adoption of a memory-based strategy, and better retention of visual-spatial information. Experiment 2 manipulated the availability of fused information in a low-fidelity flight simulation task. Temporarily removing onscreen information similarly improved recall of site location information. The potential benefits are discussed of a novel approach to display design that manipulates information access depending on task performance criteria.
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An increasing amount of cognitive offloading accelerates task processing but subsequently diminishes recall performance for visuospatial information.
“While an increasing amount of cognitive offloading (e.g., in conditions with low temporal costs relative to conditions with high temporal costs) accelerates task processing (Morgan et al., 2009; Waldron et al., 2007), it subsequently diminishes recall performance for visuospatial information (Morgan et al., 2009, 2013; Waldron et al., 2007).”
From Consequences of cognitive offloading: Boosting performance but diminishing memory (2021) · cites this paper as Waldron et al., 2007
The reported studies tested memory for the offloaded information immediately after offloading, so their memory tests might not have exceeded working memory maintenance.
“However, the reported studies tested the memory for the offloaded information immediately after offloading (Morgan et al., 2009, 2013; Waldron et al., 2007). The memory tests in these studies might therefore not have exceeded working memory maintenance.”
From Consequences of cognitive offloading: Boosting performance but diminishing memory (2021) · cites this paper as Waldron et al., 2007
Research exploring the Pattern Copy Task points towards a similar trade-off between positive and negative effects of cognitive offloading.
“Nevertheless, research exploring the Pattern Copy Task points towards a similar trade-off between positive and negative effects of cognitive offloading (Morgan et al., 2009, 2013; Waldron et al., 2007).”
From Consequences of cognitive offloading: Boosting performance but diminishing memory (2021) · cites this paper as Waldron et al., 2007
The present finding replicates and extends previous results by Morgan et al. (2009; Morgan et al., 2013; Waldron et al., 2007) on longer retention intervals exceeding working memory maintenance and on naturalistic object stimuli.
“This finding replicates and extends previous results reported by Morgan et al. (2009; see also Morgan et al., 2013; Waldron et al., 2007) on longer retention intervals exceeding working memory maintenance as well as on stimuli depicting naturalistic objects (rather than coloured squares).”
From Consequences of cognitive offloading: Boosting performance but diminishing memory (2021) · cites this paper as Waldron et al., 2007
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References 60 · Cited by 35
- Authors
- Waldron, S. M., Patrick, J., Morgan, P. L., & King, S.
- Affiliations
- Cardiff University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Patrick, J.
- Venue
- The Computer Journal
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2007-09-26
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 694-702
- ISSN
- 0010-4620 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2067
- OpenAlex
- W2113303115
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 5.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- eprints.uwe.ac.uk
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- The Computer Journal (publishedVersion)
- UWE Research Repository (UWE Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Government of the United Kingdom
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Human-Automation Interaction and Safety
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Keywords
- cognitive strategies, access to information, display design, memory-based strategies, operator workload, cockpit displays, flight simulation, visuospatial memory, information access costs, learning and memory
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