To gain a better understanding of what cognitive overload is and how to prevent it, we first need to take a look at the human memory and how we process information.

The Human Memory takes in information, processes that information and stores it for later use. There are three memory stores that the information passes through:

• Sensory Memory
• Working Memory
• Long-term Memory

The sensory memories are your senses:

• Sight
• Smell
• Sound
• Taste
• Touch

The sensory memories take in the data.

The working memory is the thinking center, the center of consciousness. The working memory processes the information that the sensory data collected.

Features of the working memory:

• Limited capacity for data storage
• Can store approximately 7 "chunks" of data
• Data only lasts about 12 seconds without elaborate rehearsal

Think back to the last time you tried to remember a phone number, you had to say it over and over again until you dialed it right? Phone numbers are usually 7 digits long and you probably only had to remember it for about 12 seconds. Can you recall that telephone number now?

The long-term memory takes the processed information and stores it for later use.

Features for the long-term memory:

• Permanent storage of information
• Large capacity for storing data
• Contains specialized memory structures called schema to help network new information to prior knowledge.

Think the long-term memory as a filing cabinet. You use the schema to help file the information into categories. When you need the information, you get it out of the filing cabinet and bring it to your desk or workspace, which is your working memory.

Cognitive overload occurs primarily in the working memory. The working memory is a powerful processor, but doesn't have a large capacity for storing data. If the information is not moved from the working memory to the long-term memory fast enough, it builds up to create overload.

Are you ready to test your knowledge of the Human Memory and Human Information Processing?
Take this short crossword puzzle.

Next, we are going to take a look at how humans process information, to see how information gets transferred from the working memory to the long term memory.

Take me to Human Information Processing.