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How adding structure reduces complexity: more interconnections in concept maps do not increase cognitive load
Instructional Science. 2025. Vol. 53. P. 1243–1262.
Cognitive load theory describes the mechanisms for the transfer of information from human working memory to long-term memory. This theory posits that increasing the number of interactive elements, such as interconnections, may increase cognitive load. This study investigates the impact of interconnections in concept maps on cognitive load, exploring whether they act as interactive elements in working memory increasing cognitive load, or function as structuring elements potentially reducing cognitive load. Well-structured concept maps may potentially lower cognitive load by effectively organizing information. In an experiment with 81 first-year postgraduate students, participants were divided into two groups: one group studied concept maps with fewer interconnections and another one with more interconnections. Results revealed a significant reduction in extraneous cognitive load for the group with more interconnections, while no significant differences were observed in intrinsic or germane cognitive load. These findings align with cognitive load theory and help expand it by suggesting that interconnections act as structuring elements that facilitate learning by organizing knowledge, leading to a decrease in extraneous cognitive load. This research demonstrates that the use of concept maps may optimize cognitive load and shows that the addition of structure in instructional materials doesn’t lead to overload for students.
Panova A., Ostrovnaya M., Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization 2026 Vol. 34 No. 2 P. 199–226
Local authorities can crucially affect the economic performance of public organizations. Using data on the Moscow region, we analyze the unique case of a huge, socio-economically homogeneous region with differing political environments. We examine how the political characteristics of local authorities influence state schools’ decisions on whether to outsource non-core activities, in this case food ...
Added: August 27, 2026
Medushevsky A. N., Liberal.ru 2026
The Liberal Mission Foundation continues to introduce readers to new concepts of democracy and relevant publications. This discussion focuses on the challenges facing democracy in the era of globalization, as addressed in two recent books: *The Backsliders: Why Leaders Undermine Their Own Democracies* by S.C. Stokes (2025) and *Critical Theories and the Postsocialist Challenge: Race, ...
Added: August 26, 2026
Medushevsky A. N., Liberal.ru 2026
Today, more than ever before, the contribution of new technologies shapes the conditions of humanity's existence as a biological species, prompting a debate about its prospects for survival. This process of transformation—which spans every sphere of social and moral regulation, from family relations and child-rearing to the very meaning of life—is dividing public opinion between ...
Added: August 26, 2026
Medushevsky A. N., Вопросы теоретической экономики 2026 № 2 С. 146–164
It is generally accepted that the basis of social and legal stability in any society is a consensus on vir tue — the fundamental values of proper behavior, ways of maintaining and reproducing them. And, conversely, the destruction of this consensus is a sign of the loss of stability and divergence of positions of social ...
Added: August 26, 2026
Medushevsky A. N., Сравнительное конституционное обозрение 2025 Т. 34 № 4 С. 135–166
The communist morality created in the USSR to form a “new man” was based on a code of moral values that replaced traditional religious ideas with the ideological postulates of a one-party dictator ship. The crisis and collapse of this ideology in post-Soviet Russia led to the emergence of an “ethi cal vacuum” — moral ...
Added: August 26, 2026
Voronina Y., Kuryan M., Педагогика и психология образования 2026 № 2 С. 84–98
Teaching argumentation in foreign language classes is a promising approach, as it enhances students' critical thinking and improves the quality of their academic work. Despite the rather widespread use of explicit methods for developing argumentation skills, the implicit approach remains underexplored. This paper proposes a system for organizing implicit argumentation instruction in English based on ...
Added: August 24, 2026
Stognieva O., Злобина В. А., М.: Юрайт, 2026.
Учебный курс предназначен для студентов направлений журналистики и медиакоммуникаций, владеющих английским языком на уровне B2–C1. Курс отражает ключевые вызовы современной цифровой медиасреды: использование искусственного интеллекта, борьбу с дезинформацией, развитие медиаграмотности, влияние социальных сетей, мобильную журналистику, цифровую идентичность и перспективы развития медиа. Обучение построено на аутентичных материалах и практико-ориентированных заданиях, моделирующих реальные профессиональные ситуации. Выполнение интерактивных ...
Added: August 22, 2026
Долгополова Ю. Н., Kotov A. A., Юсупова М. А. et al., М.: НИУ ВШЭ, Институт образования, 2026.
More than half of Russian adolescents use generative neural networks daily, and this figure continues to grow. Under these conditions, AI is becoming not just a tool but a cognitive partner for students, which requires a rethinking of existing educational practices. This systematic review synthesizes empirical data from studies conducted between 2014 and 2026 on ...
Added: August 21, 2026
Vlasenko D., Saranskaia I., Zakharov D., European Physical Journal: Special Topics 2026 P. 1–16
Hypergraphs provide a natural framework for representing neurophysiological interactions distributed across sets of sensors. A key methodological question is how hyperedges should be defined from frequency-resolved electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) data. We demonstrate a construction strategy in which hyperedges are obtained from canonical coherence (caCOH), an extension of coherence that estimates coupling between multidimensional signal spaces. To ...
Added: August 18, 2026
Gaete Sepulveda M. A., Navarra: Eunsa, 2026.
Toward the Fifth-Generation University (5GU) is a work that proposes a transformative governance framework for institutions of higher education, capable of addressing the challenges of sustainability, digital reflexivity, and co-creation with multiple stakeholders. Drawing on a historical overview from University 1.0—focused on the preservation of knowledge—to University 5.0, the text presents a model centered on ...
Added: August 18, 2026
Diachkova M., Lelik V., Dorofeeva S. et al., Language Resources and Evaluation 2026 Vol. 60 Article 68
This article presents the Russian Language-Monolingual corpus (RusLan-M, v.1.0), a longitudinal multimedia collection of early child speech from two Russian-speaking monolingual children: Tosya (ages 0;10–3;10, 246 recordings) and Yasha (ages 1;04–3;00, 42 recordings). The corpus consists of approximately 41 h (2,454 min.) of video recordings and 35,386 child utterances, available with transcriptions in the CHAT ...
Added: August 17, 2026
Gorbunova A., Getman A., Savelyev A. et al., Innovations in Education and Teaching International 2026 P. 1–13
Research on video-based learning often relies on behavioural indicators to infer engagement, yet it remains unclear whether these behaviours reflect meaningful cognitive engagement or mere activity. To address this gap the present study analysed relationships between time-on-video, click frequency, playback speed manipulation, and learners’ intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load in a learner-controlled video environment ...
Added: June 14, 2026
Khudyakova M., Gomozova M., Корженевская А. Ю. et al., В кн.: Миратив, нарратив, креатив: Сборник статей к юбилею Миры Бергельсон.: М.: Буки Веди, 2026. С. 174–183.
Fruit trees, cats, and other similar visual stimuli have demonstrated remarkable productivity in experimental research of the Center for Language and Brain, HSE University. Mira Bergelson played a key role in this pear-cat revolution: from introducing the "Pear Stories" film into clinical research to integrating cats into various tools for assessing language production and comprehension. These materials allowed ...
Added: April 8, 2026
Portnova G., Proskurnina E., Liaukovich K. et al., Journal of Molecular Neuroscience 2026 Vol. 76 Article 19
This study investigates the relationship between stress coping ability, salivary antioxidant capacity (AOC), and trace element concentrations, focusing on zinc (Zn) and potassium (K). A cohort of 73 participants, divided into groups based on stress coping ability (SCA) (“adaptive”, “intermediate”, and “maladaptive”), underwent cognitive tasks while physiological and behavioral data were collected. Saliva samples were ...
Added: February 2, 2026
Zhanna Chuikova, Izmalkova A., Myachykov A. et al., Psychological Research 2026 Vol. 90 Article 19
Cognitive flexibility (CF) allows individuals to adapt their behavior to changing environmental demands. As task complexity increases, CF may substantially impact performance by facilitating a shift towards more efficient information processing strategies. However, its role in tasks with high cognitive demands remains largely unexplored. Furthermore, while CF is associated with inhibitory control and working memory ...
Added: January 13, 2026
Aigul Klimova, Inna Deviatko, Lebedev D. et al., Field Methods 2026 Vol. 38 No. 1 P. 46–61
This article investigates cognitive load in fully labeled and end-labeled Likert-type scales. We compared cognitive load between two conditions using different methods such as pupillometry, completion times, and subjective evaluation of mental effort. We conducted a laboratory experiment (N = 170) using eye-tracking technology to measure pupil dilation while respondents completed a web survey. The mean ...
Added: October 17, 2025
Andronova E., Kapuza A., Мир психологии. Научно-методический журнал 2025 № 4 (123) С. 276–295
This study examines methods for assessing the levels of abstraction of scientific concepts, which, unlike everyday concepts, often lack explicit representation in daily experience. The aim is to systematise approaches to their classification by abstraction level and develop a method based on concept maps and dictionary definitions. Using a sample of seven experts in statistical ...
Added: September 19, 2025
Andronova E., Kapuza A., Психологические исследования: электронный научный журнал 2025 Т. 18 № 102 Статья 3
This study examines concepts as systemic elements within a conceptual structure, drawing on the theoretical framework of L.S. Vygotsky’s cultural-historical psychology. A key characteristic of concepts is their level of abstraction, which reflects their degree of generalization within a system. However, existing classification methods lack a unified approach, complicating empirical research. The current study aimed ...
Added: September 19, 2025
Gorbunova A., Kseniia Adamovich, Savelyev A. et al., Interactive Learning Environments 2026 Vol. 34 No. 4 P. 2609–2630
This study examines the tradeoff between learner autonomy and efficiency in optimizingonline instructional design. While learner control is known to enhance personalizationand engagement, it may also increase cognitive demands and learning time,potentially compromising efficiency. To investigate this issue, we conducted anexperimental study comparing low and high levels of learner control across keydimensions: pace, place, content, ...
Added: August 25, 2025
Gorbunova A., Kapuza A., Chen O. et al., Frontiers in Psychology 2025 Vol. 16 Article 1628047
This study examines how prior knowledge and pre-training relate to cognitive load during problem-solving. Grounded in cognitive load theory, it investigates whether pre-training facilitates learning by reducing cognitive load or imposes redundant information for learners with higher prior knowledge. In an experiment with 136 university students, pre-training was implemented through concept maps and a glossary ...
Added: August 10, 2025
О чем не говорит размер эффекта: методология исследований формирования универсальных компетентностей
Mikhailova A., Avdeenko N., Chentsova A. et al., Вопросы образования 2025 № 1 С. 197–232
The results of a systematic review of intervention research, that evaluates the effectiveness of practices for the formation of key competencies, are presented. The aim of the study is to identify characteristics of interventions conducted to evaluate the practices of forming critical and creative thinking, which can be used as distinguishing features in the design ...
Added: April 14, 2025