Distribution of cognitive load in Web search

Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology

Volumn 61, Issue 11, 2010, Pages 2167-2187

  Gwizdka, Jacek ^a  

^a RUTGERS UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

COGNITIVE DEMANDS; COGNITIVE LOADS; DUAL-TASKS; DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT; INFORMATION SEARCH; INTERACTIVE INFORMATION RETRIEVAL; QUERY FORMULATION; RELEVANT DOCUMENTS; SEARCH PROCESS; SEARCH RESULTS; SEARCH TASKS; SEMANTIC INFORMATION; WEB SEARCHES;

INFORMATION RETRIEVAL;

WORLD WIDE WEB;

EID: 78149418161     PISSN: 15322882     EISSN: 15322890     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1002/asi.21385     Document Type: Article

References (74)

1. Adamczyk, P.D., &, Bailey, B.P., (2004) If not now, when?: The effects of interruption at different moments within task execution. Proceedings of ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing (CHI'2004) (pp. 271 - 278). New York: ACM Press.
2. Back, J., &, Oppenheim, C., (2001) A model of cognitive load for IR: Implications for user relevance feedback interaction. Information Research, 6 (2), Article WS2. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from
3. Baddeley, A., (1986) Working memory. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
4. Baddeley, A., (1999). Essentials of human memory. East Sussex, United Kingdom: Psychology Press.
5. Bates, M.J., (1979) Information search tactics. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 30 (4), 205 - 214.
6. Beatty, J., (1982) Task-evoked pupillary responses, processing load, and the structure of processing resources. Psychological Bulletin, 91 (2), 276 - 292.
7. Belkin, N.J., Cool, C., Stein, A., &, Thiel, U., (1995) Cases, scripts, and information-seeking strategies: On the design of interactive information retrieval systems. Expert Systems with Applications, 9 (3), 379 - 395.
8. Bell, D., &, Ruthven, I., (2004) Searcher's assessments of task complexity for Web searching. In, J.T. Sharon McDonald, (Ed.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 2997, 57 - 71.
9. Bhavnani, S.K., &, Bates, M.J., (2002) Separating the knowledge layers: Cognitive analysis of search knowledge through hierarchical goal decompositions. Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 39 (1), 204 - 213.
10. Borgman, C.L., (1986) Why are online catalogs hard to use? Lessons learned from information-retrieval studies. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 37 (6), 387 - 400.
11. Borgman, C.L., (1989) All users of information retrieval systems are not created equal: An exploration into individual differences. Information Processing, & Management, 25 (3), 237 - 251.
12. Brünken, R., Plass, J.L., &, Leutner, D., (2003) Direct measurement of cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist, 38 (1), 53 - 61.
13. Brünken, R., Steinbacher, S., Plass, J.L., &, Leutner, D., (2002) Assessment of cognitive load in multimedia learning using dual-task methodology. Experimental Psychology, 49 (2), 109 - 119.
14. Buntine, W., Valtonen, K., &, Taylor, M., (2005, May). The ALVIS document model for a semantic search engine. Paper presented at the Second Annual European Semantic Web Conference, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
15. Byström, K., &, Jarvelin, K., (1995) Task complexity affects information seeking and use. Information Processing and Management, 31 (2), 191 - 213.
16. Campbell, D.J., (1988) Task complexity: A review and analysis. Academy of Management Review, 13 (1), 40 - 52.
17. Card, S.K., Newell, A., &, Moran, T.P., (1983) The psychology of human-computer interaction. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
18. Cegarra, J., &, Chevalier, A., (2008) The use of tholos software for combining measures of mental workload: Toward theoretical and methodological improvements. Behavior Research Methods, 40 (4), 988 - 1000.
19. Chandler, P., &, Sweller, J., (1991) Cognitive load theory and the format of instruction. Cognition and Instruction, 8 (4), 293 - 332.
20. Cowan, N., (in press). The magical mystery four: How is working memory capacity limited, and why ? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19 (1), 51 - 57.
21. Dennis, S., Bruza, P., &, McArthur, R., (2002) Web searching: A process-oriented experimental study of three interactive search paradigms. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53 (2), 120 - 133.
22. Dennis, S., McArthur, R., &, Bruza, P.D., (1998). Searching the World Wide Web Made Easy? The cognitive load imposed by query refinement mechanisms. In, J. Kay, &, M. Milosavljevic, (Eds.), Proceedings of the Third Australian Document Computing Symposium (ADCS'98), (Tech. Rep. No. 518) (pp. 65 - 71). Sydney, Australia: University of Sydney Department of Computer Science.
23. Eagle, M., &, Leiter, E., (1964) Recall and recognition in intentional and incidental learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 68 (1), 58 - 63.
24. Engle, R.W., (2002) Working memory capacity as executive attention. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11 (1), 19 - 23.
25. Fan, X., Chen, P.C., &, Yen, J., (2010) Learning hmm-based cognitive load models for supporting human-agent teamwork. Cognitive Systems Research, 11 (1), 108 - 119.
26. Ford, N., Miller, D., &, Moss, N., (2001) The role of individual differences in Internet searching: An empirical study. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52 (12), 1049 - 1066.
27. Ford, N., Miller, D., &, Moss, N., (2005) Web search strategies and human individual differences: A combined analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 56 (7), 757 - 764.
28. Gwizdka, J., (2009) Assessing cognitive load on Web search tasks. The Ergonomics Open Journal, 2, 114 - 123.
29. Gwizdka, J., &, Chignell, M., (2004) Individual differences and task-based user interface evaluation: A case study of pending tasks in email. Interacting with Computers, 16 (4), 769 - 797.
30. Gwizdka, J., &, Lopatovska, I., (2009) The role of subjective factors in the information search process. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, & Technology, 60 (12), 2452 - 2464.
31. Hancock, P.A., &, Chignell, M.H., (1987) Adaptive control in human-machine systems. In, P.A. Hancock, (Ed.), Human factors psychology. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
32. Harper, S., Michailidou, E., &, Stevens, R., (2009) Toward a definition of visual complexity as an implicit measure of cognitive load. ACM Transactions on Applied Perception (TAP), 6 (2), 1 - 18.
33. Hart, S.G., &, Staveland, L., (1988). Development of NASA-TLX (task load index): Results of empirical and theoretical research. In, P. Hancock, &, N. Meshkati, (Eds.), Human mental workload (pp. 239 - 250). North-Holland Press, Amsterdam: The Netherlands.
34. Hirshfield, L.M., Chauncey, K., Gulotta, R., Girouard, A., Solovey, E.T., &, Jacob, R.J.K., et al. (2009) Combining electroencephalograph and functional near infrared spectroscopy to explore users' mental workload. Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, 5638, 239 - 247.
35. Ingwersen, P., (1996) Cognitive perspectives of information retrieval interaction: Elements of a cognitive IR theory. Journal of Documentation, 52 (1), 3 - 50.
36. Iqbal, S.T., Zheng, X.S., &, Bailey, B.P., (2004) Task-evoked pupillary response to mental workload in human-computer interaction. In Proceedings of the International Conference for Human-Computer Interaction, Extended abstracts on human factors in computing systems. New York: ACM Press.
37. John, B.E., &, Kieras, D.E., (1996) Using GOMS for user interface design and evaluation: Which technique? ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), 3 (4), 287 - 319.
38. Kane, M.J., &, Engle, R.W., (2000) Working-memory capacity, proactive interference, and divided attention: Limits on long-term memory retrieval. Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 26 (2), 336 - 358.
39. Kane, M.J., &, Engle, R.W., (2003) Working-memory capacity and the control of attention: The contributions of goal neglect, response competition, and task set to Stroop interference. Journal of Experimental Psychology General, 132 (1), 47 - 70.
40. Kelly, D., Shah, C., Sugimoto, C.R., Bailey, E.W., Clemens, R.A., &, Irvine, A.K., et al. (2008). Effects of performance feedback on users' evaluations of an interactive IR system. In Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Information Interaction in Context (Iiix'08) (pp. 75 - 82). New York: ACM Press.
41. Kim, K.-S., (2001) Information seeking on the Web: Effects of user and task variables. Library & Information Science Research, 23 (3), 233 - 255.
42. Kim, Y.M., &, Rieh, S.Y., (2005) Dual-task performance as a measure for mental effort in library searching and web searching. In Proceedings of the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science & Technology, USA, 42.
43. Li, Y., &, Belkin, N.J., (2008) A faceted approach to conceptualizing tasks in information seeking. Information Processing & Management, 44 (6), 1822 - 1837.
44. Madrid, I.R., Van Oostendorp, H., &, Puerta Melguizo, M.C., (2009) The effects of the number of links and navigation support on cognitive load and learning with hypertext: The mediating role of reading order. Computers in Human Behaviour, 25 (1), 66 - 75.
45. Marchionini, G., (1995). Cambridge series on human computer interaction: Vol 9. Information seeking in electronic environments. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
46. Michailidou, E., (2009, August). The user evaluation of the vicram visual complexity prediction algorithm (Vicram Tech. Rep. 8) United Kingdom: University of Manchester, School of Computer Science.
47. Miller, G., (1956) The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63 (2), 81 - 97.
48. Moray, N., (1979) Mental workload: Its theory and measurement. New York: Plenum.
49. Oberauer, K., (2002) Access to information in working memory: Exploring the focus of attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 28 (3), 411 - 421.
50. Norman, D., (1988) The design of everyday things, currency. New York: Doubleday.
51. O'Donnell, R.D., &, Eggemeier, F.T., (1986). Workload assessment methodology. In, K.R. Boff, L. Kaufman, &, J.P. Thomas, (Eds.), Handbook of perception and human performance: Vol. 2. Cognitive processes and performance (pp. 42/1 - 42/49). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
52. Polson, P.G., Lewis, C., Rieman, J., &, Wharton, C., (1992) Cognitive walkthroughs: A method for theory-based evaluation of user interfaces. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 36 (5), 741 - 773.
53. Rosenholtz, R., Li, Y., &, Nakano, L., (2007) Measuring visual clutter. Journal of Vision, 7 (2), 1 - 22, Article 17. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from.
54. Rouet, J.F., (2006) The skills of document use: From text comprehension to Web-based learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
55. Schmutz, P., Heinz, S., Métrailler, Y., &, Opwis, K., (2009) Cognitive load in eCommerce application-Measurement and effects on user satisfaction. Advances in Human Compute Interaction, Article 121494. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from
56. Schnotz, W., &, Kürschner, C., (2007) A reconsideration of cognitive load theory. Educational Psychology Review, 19 (4), 469 - 508.
57. Seng, J., Ko, I., &, Lin, B., (2009) A generic construct based workload model for Web search. Information Processing & Management, 45 (5), 529 - 554.
58. Shrout, P.E., &, Fleiss, J.L., (1979) Intraclass correlations: Uses in assessing rater reliability. Psychological Bulletin, (86), 420 - 428
59. Smith, E.E., &, Jonides, J., (1997) Working memory: A view from neuroimaging. Cognitive Psychology, 33, 5 - 42.
60. Stroop JR,. (1935) Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18 (6), 643 - 662.
61. Sweller, J., van Merrienboer, J., &, Paas, F., (1998) Cognitive architecture and instructional design. Educational Psychology Review, 10 (3), 251 - 296.
62. Teo, L., &, John, B.E., (2008) Cogtool-Explorer: Towards a tool for predicting user interaction. In CHI '08: Extended abstracts on human factors in computing systems, (pp. 2793 - 2798). New York: ACM Press.
63. Toms, E., O'Brien, H., &, Mackenzie, T., et al. (2008) Task effects on interactive search: The query factor. In, N. Fuhr, J. Kamps, M. Lalmas, &, A. Trotman, (Eds.), Focused access to XML Documents. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 4862, 359 - 372.
64. Tsang, P.S., (2002) Mental workload. In, W. Karwowski, (Ed.), International encyclopedia of ergonomics and human factors (Vols. 1-3) (pp. 500 - 503). London: Routledge.
65. Tungare, M., &, Pérez-Quinones, M., (2009) Mental workload in multi-device personal information management. In Proceedings of the 27th International Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '09) (pp. 3431 - 3436). New York: ACM Press.
66. Press. van Gog, T., Kester, L., Nievelstein, F., Giesbers, B., &, Paas, F., (2009) Uncovering cognitive processes: Different techniques that can contribute to cognitive load research and instruction. Computers in Human Behavior, 25 (2), 325 - 331.
67. Van Orden, K.F., Limbert, W., Makeig, S., &, Jung, T.-P., (2001) Eye activity correlates of workload during a visuospatial memory task. Eye Activity Correlates of Workload During a Visuospatial Memory Task, 43 (1), 111 - 121.
68. Wästlund, E., Norlander, T., ;amp, Archer, T., (2008) The effect of page layout on mental workload: A dual-task experiment. Computers in Human Behavior, 24 (3), 1229 - 1245.
69. Wickens, C.D., (2002) Multiple resources and performance prediction. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 3 (2), 159 - 177.
70. Wildemuth, B.M., (2004) The effects of domain knowledge on search tactic formulation. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 55 (3), 246 - 258.
71. Wilson, M.L., Schraefel, M.C., &, White, R.W., (2009) Evaluating advanced search interfaces using established information-seeking models. Journal of the American Society for Information Science & Technology, 60 (7), 1407 - 1422.
72. Xie, H., (2002) Patterns between interactive intentions and information-seeking strategies. Information Processing and Management, 38 (1), 55 - 77.
73. Xie, B., &, Salvendy, G., (2000) Prediction of mental workload in single and multiple task environments. International Journal of Cognitive Ergonomics, 4 (3), 213 - 242.
74. Zhang, X., Anghelescu, H.G.B., &, Yuan, X., (2005) Domain knowledge, search behaviour, and search effectiveness of engineering and science students: an exploratory study. Information Research, 10 (2) paper 217. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from at