#cognitive-load — Public Fediverse posts

I think drag-and-drop as a #UX mechanism has a second-class feel. Both in implementation, like it's not designed to be the best way to do anything, and in attitude, like developers and designers don't want to support it.

I posit that tapping buttons is a cognitive drain that has unnecessarily taxed our #attention tremendously.

Alternatives have fallen short, but I believe I can do better.

#HCI #uxdesign #CognitiveLoad

I think drag-and-drop as a #UX mechanism has a second-class feel. Both in implementation, like it's not designed to be the best way to do anything, and in attitude, like developers and designers don't want to support it.

I posit that tapping buttons is a cognitive drain that has unnecessarily taxed our #attention tremendously.

Alternatives have fallen short, but I believe I can do better.

#HCI #uxdesign #CognitiveLoad

Life's a journey (anche nel marketing), not a destination.

#Wayfinding design (design dell’orientamento): tecnica che sfrutta principi di psicologia cognitiva, neuromarketing e comunicazione visiva in modo efficace e "silenzioso".

Dal punto di vista visual, la dominanza assoluta del rosso restituisce una percezione precisa, perché il #rosso cattura l'attenzione più velocemente di quasi tutti gli altri colori, aumenta il livello di attivazione fisiologica (arousal), comunica urgenza, energia, movimento e direzione ed emerge immediatamente nel campo visivo periferico.

Il contrasto del bianco su rosso è uno dei più leggibili in assoluto.

Il cervello impiega pochissimo tempo a decodificare:

• testo
• simboli
• frecce

Inoltre elabora le forme prima delle parole e riconosce la direzione prima del contenuto, riducendo il #cognitiveload (carico cognitivo): il messaggio non si interpreta, si comprende subito.

Le pareti laterali rosse creano una sorta di “canale visivo”, questo produce un fenomeno chiamato "forced perspective guidance", dove l’attenzione viene letteralmente compressa verso il centro.

Anche se qui non c’è un marchio visibile, il design comunica:

• efficienza
• precisione
• ordine
• velocità

Sono tutti valori associati inconsciamente alla cultura elvetica, alla #svizzeritudine 🇨🇭

In marketing questo si chiama #brandtransfer: l’esperienza fisica trasferisce valori all’ambiente senza bisogno di loghi.

L'analisi neurologica è l'aspetto più intrigante: riscoprire l'acqua calda!

Sistema 1 di #Kahneman
Questa segnaletica parla quasi esclusivamente al "Sistema 1", ovvero al cervello rapido, intuitivo e automatico.

Non richiede ragionamento di nessun tipo, quello che potremmo assimilare all'istinto.

Il messaggio è:

rosso → attenzione
frecce → scendi
testo → conferma

L’intera sequenza viene elaborata in poche centinaia di millisecondi.

Entra in gioco anche l'effetto orientamento attentivo: le frecce sono uno dei simboli più potenti per il cervello umano, senza ragionamento (vedi sopra).

Una freccia:
• orienta automaticamente lo sguardo
• modifica la distribuzione dell’attenzione
• induce una preparazione motoria nella direzione indicata

In parole semplici, il cervello inizia a “muoversi” prima ancora del nostro corpo, prima ancora di essere coscienti di quel che dobbiamo fare.

Non ultima, c'è una grande alleata del #marketing - e dello spirito! La riduzione dell’incertezza.

L’incertezza spaziale genera stress e quando il cervello non sa dove andare:

• aumenta il consumo cognitivo
• cresce il livello di #cortisolo
• diminuisce la soddisfazione dell’esperienza

Ecco, questa installazione elimina quasi completamente l’ambiguità.

Da ricordare anche che questo tipo di aree di servizio può confondere dopo una media permanenza: da che parte si esce? La macchina sta verso Lucerna o verso Milano? Se esco da qui e non trovo la macchina, sono dalla parte giusta?

Qui arriva il livello più alto della comunicazione visiva: il messaggio smette di essere informazione e diventa comportamento.

Life's a journey (anche nel marketing), not a destination.

#Wayfinding design (design dell’orientamento): tecnica che sfrutta principi di psicologia cognitiva, neuromarketing e comunicazione visiva in modo efficace e "silenzioso".

Dal punto di vista visual, la dominanza assoluta del rosso restituisce una percezione precisa, perché il #rosso cattura l'attenzione più velocemente di quasi tutti gli altri colori, aumenta il livello di attivazione fisiologica (arousal), comunica urgenza, energia, movimento e direzione ed emerge immediatamente nel campo visivo periferico.

Il contrasto del bianco su rosso è uno dei più leggibili in assoluto.

Il cervello impiega pochissimo tempo a decodificare:

• testo
• simboli
• frecce

Inoltre elabora le forme prima delle parole e riconosce la direzione prima del contenuto, riducendo il #cognitiveload (carico cognitivo): il messaggio non si interpreta, si comprende subito.

Le pareti laterali rosse creano una sorta di “canale visivo”, questo produce un fenomeno chiamato "forced perspective guidance", dove l’attenzione viene letteralmente compressa verso il centro.

Anche se qui non c’è un marchio visibile, il design comunica:

• efficienza
• precisione
• ordine
• velocità

Sono tutti valori associati inconsciamente alla cultura elvetica, alla #svizzeritudine 🇨🇭

In marketing questo si chiama #brandtransfer: l’esperienza fisica trasferisce valori all’ambiente senza bisogno di loghi.

L'analisi neurologica è l'aspetto più intrigante: riscoprire l'acqua calda!

Sistema 1 di #Kahneman
Questa segnaletica parla quasi esclusivamente al "Sistema 1", ovvero al cervello rapido, intuitivo e automatico.

Non richiede ragionamento di nessun tipo, quello che potremmo assimilare all'istinto.

Il messaggio è:

rosso → attenzione
frecce → scendi
testo → conferma

L’intera sequenza viene elaborata in poche centinaia di millisecondi.

Entra in gioco anche l'effetto orientamento attentivo: le frecce sono uno dei simboli più potenti per il cervello umano, senza ragionamento (vedi sopra).

Una freccia:
• orienta automaticamente lo sguardo
• modifica la distribuzione dell’attenzione
• induce una preparazione motoria nella direzione indicata

In parole semplici, il cervello inizia a “muoversi” prima ancora del nostro corpo, prima ancora di essere coscienti di quel che dobbiamo fare.

Non ultima, c'è una grande alleata del #marketing - e dello spirito! La riduzione dell’incertezza.

L’incertezza spaziale genera stress e quando il cervello non sa dove andare:

• aumenta il consumo cognitivo
• cresce il livello di #cortisolo
• diminuisce la soddisfazione dell’esperienza

Ecco, questa installazione elimina quasi completamente l’ambiguità.

Da ricordare anche che questo tipo di aree di servizio può confondere dopo una media permanenza: da che parte si esce? La macchina sta verso Lucerna o verso Milano? Se esco da qui e non trovo la macchina, sono dalla parte giusta?

Qui arriva il livello più alto della comunicazione visiva: il messaggio smette di essere informazione e diventa comportamento.

Hook, Line, and Sinker: Why People Still Fall for “Official” Emails

3,206 words, 17 minutes read time.

The digital landscape is a cold, relentless stretch of asphalt where the rain never stops and the shadows are always reaching for your throat. It is an environment built on the fundamental architecture of trust, yet it is that very trust that serves as the primary vector for the modern grift. When we look at the evolution of the phishing landscape, we aren’t just looking at a series of technical failures or a lack of robust filtering; we are looking at the exploitation of the human operating system. Most analysts want to talk about SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as if they are the ultimate shields against the storm, but they often ignore the fact that the most sophisticated code in the world cannot patch a moment of panic. The “Official” email is the modern equivalent of a knock at the door at three in the morning; it carries an inherent authority that bypasses the logical gates of the brain and targets the raw, unrefined nerves of social obligation and fear of consequence.

Analyzing the recent waves of business email compromise and high-stakes credential harvesting, I see a clear pattern that suggests we are losing the war of attrition because we refuse to acknowledge the psychological heavy lifting being done by the adversary. The craft has moved far beyond the broken syntax and desperate pleas of a decade ago, evolving into a surgical instrument that mirrors the exact cadence of corporate bureaucracy. These attackers are not just hackers anymore; they are student of institutional behavior who understand that a well-placed “Urgent Action Required” notice from a spoofed human resources alias is more effective than any brute-force attack. By the time the target realizes the landing page is a mirror of a Microsoft 365 login, the credentials have already been spirited away into a database in a jurisdiction where the law doesn’t have a name.

The Psychological Mechanics of the Digital Ambush

The success of a phishing campaign relies on the deliberate manipulation of cognitive load and the exploitation of ingrained social hierarchies. When an individual receives an email that appears to originate from a high-level executive or a government entity like the Internal Revenue Service, the brain undergoes a shift from analytical processing to a reactive survival mode. This is not a matter of intelligence or technical savvy, as even seasoned administrators have been known to trip over a well-constructed lure when the timing is right. The adversary waits for the moment of highest friction—the end of a quarter, the middle of a migration, or the chaos of a public holiday—to drop a message that demands immediate attention. This creates a sense of urgency that effectively narrows the victim’s field of vision, making them ignore the subtle discrepancies in the sender’s address or the slightly off-kilter phrasing of the call to action.

Furthermore, the concept of social proof is weaponized within these emails to provide a false sense of security that lulls the victim into a state of compliance. Many of these “official” messages are designed to look like a small part of a larger, ongoing process, such as a mandatory security update or a routine document review. By framing the malicious link as a necessary step in a boring, everyday task, the attacker sidesteps the natural skepticism that usually accompanies an unexpected request. Consequently, the victim views the interaction not as a potential threat, but as a minor hurdle to be cleared so they can return to their actual work. This mundane nature of the attack is its greatest strength, allowing it to slip through the cracks of human intuition while the technical defenses are busy looking for more overt signs of intrusion.

Why Technical Defense Perimeters Often Fail the Human Test

We have spent billions of dollars on secure email gateways and advanced threat protection, yet the “official” email remains the most successful entry point for ransomware and data exfiltration. This failure is rooted in the inherent tension between usability and security, where the need for seamless communication often creates gaps that an attacker can drive a truck through. A secure email gateway is essentially a filter designed to catch known bad patterns, but the modern phisher is an expert at staying just beneath the threshold of detection. They use legitimate infrastructure, such as compromised Small Business Server accounts or reputable cloud hosting providers, to launch their campaigns. When a malicious email originates from a trusted IP address with valid cryptographic signatures, the technical gates swing wide open, leaving only the human at the keyboard to make the final call.

In addition to the subversion of trust, the rapid pace of digital transformation has outstripped the ability of the average user to verify the authenticity of their communications. As organizations move their operations to various third-party SaaS platforms, the number of “official” domains that a user interacts with on a daily basis has skyrocketed. It is no longer enough to look for a single corporate domain; employees are now expected to recognize notifications from payroll systems, project management tools, and cloud storage providers, all of which use different naming conventions and email templates. This fragmentation creates a smokescreen for the attacker, who can easily hide a malicious domain amidst the noise of a dozen legitimate ones. As a result, the mental fatigue of constantly verifying these sources leads to a state of “security nihilism,” where the user eventually stops checking altogether and simply clicks through to stay productive.

The anatomy of a modern credential harvest is a masterclass in deceptive minimalism, designed to exploit the very tools we use to stay organized and secure. Looking at the mechanics of the “Official” document lure, I see a devastatingly effective strategy that leverages the ubiquity of shared drives and collaborative platforms like SharePoint or DocuSign. The attacker doesn’t need to attach a piece of malware that might trigger an endpoint detection system; they simply provide a link to a legitimate-looking landing page that asks for a login to “view the protected file.” This transition from a trusted email environment to a browser-based authentication prompt is where the logic breaks down for most users. Because the initial email looked like a standard notification—complete with the correct legal disclaimers and corporate branding—the user’s brain has already cleared the transaction for takeoff. By the time they land on the spoofed login page, they aren’t looking for a scam; they are looking for their document, and they will hand over their credentials to get it.

The danger is compounded by the rise of “Living off the Land” techniques in the phishing world, where attackers use the victim’s own tools against them. When an adversary compromises a legitimate account within a supply chain, they can send “official” emails from a truly valid source to that person’s entire contact list. This lateral movement within a trusted ecosystem is the nightmare scenario for any security operations center because the traditional red flags simply do not exist. There is no mismatched “From” header to inspect, and the link often points to a real file hosted on a real corporate server that happens to contain a malicious redirect. In this context, the victim isn’t falling for a fake; they are being misled by a compromised reality. This level of deception makes it nearly impossible for the average employee to distinguish between a routine request and a high-stakes heist, especially when the message arrives in the middle of a high-pressure workday.

The Institutional Cost of Authority-Based Exploitation

When we break down the damage, we see that the financial toll of these “official” phishes is often eclipsed by the erosion of internal culture and institutional trust. Every time a successful campaign rips through a department, the aftermath involves a heavy-handed response from IT that usually includes more restrictive policies and mandatory, often condescending, training modules. This creates a friction-filled environment where employees start to view their own security team as an adversary or a hurdle to their productivity. Furthermore, the psychological impact on the individual who clicked the link can be profound, leading to a loss of confidence that hampers their work performance and makes them less likely to report future suspicious activity for fear of further embarrassment. Consequently, the organization becomes more brittle, hiding its vulnerabilities behind a facade of compliance while the actual risk remains unaddressed and festering in the shadows.

Looking at the broader economic landscape, the industrialization of phishing kits has lowered the barrier to entry for low-level criminals, allowing them to masquerade as sophisticated entities with the click of a button. These kits come pre-loaded with high-fidelity templates for every major bank, government agency, and tech giant, ensuring that even a novice operator can launch an “official” campaign that looks professional. This democratization of high-end social engineering means that the volume of attacks is constantly increasing, creating a background radiation of fraud that everyone must navigate daily. The sheer frequency of these encounters leads to a desensitization of the workforce, where the warning signs that used to trigger an alarm are now ignored as part of the digital noise. This saturation of the communication channel is exactly what the adversary wants, as it ensures that eventually, someone, somewhere, will be tired or distracted enough to swallow the hook.

The Illusion of Multi-Factor Authentication as a Total Shield

One of the most dangerous myths in the current security climate is the idea that Multi-Factor Authentication is an unhackable barrier that renders phishing obsolete. While MFA is a critical layer of defense, the “official” email has evolved to bypass it through sophisticated techniques like adversary-in-the-middle attacks and session hijacking. In a standard MFA-bypass scenario, the malicious email leads the victim to a proxy server that mimics the real login page in real-time. As the victim enters their username, password, and the subsequent one-time code from their phone, the attacker’s server passes those credentials to the actual service and steals the resulting session cookie. To the user, the experience is seamless and appears entirely “official,” but behind the scenes, the attacker now has a persistent foothold that bypasses the need for a password entirely. This proves that even our most robust technical solutions can be undermined by a well-executed social engineering play that targets the moment of authentication.

Moreover, the phenomenon of “MFA Fatigue” has become a potent weapon in the attacker’s arsenal, turning a security feature into a vulnerability. After sending a series of “official” emails claiming there is a problem with an account, the attacker will trigger a barrage of push notifications to the victim’s mobile device. The goal is to wear the person down until they hit “Approve” just to make the buzzing stop, assuming it’s a glitch in the “official” system. This exploit doesn’t require technical brilliance; it requires an understanding of human frustration and the tendency to take the path of least resistance. It demonstrates that as long as there is a human in the loop, the adversary will find a way to manipulate that person into opening the door, no matter how many locks we put on it. The “official” email is merely the first step in a psychological siege designed to break the victim’s resolve.

The strategy of the modern phisher has moved beyond the simple theft of credentials and into the territory of high-stakes narrative control. When we analyze the rise of Business Email Compromise, it becomes clear that the “Official” email is often just the opening act in a long-form con that can last for weeks. The attacker doesn’t just want a password; they want to insert themselves into the financial workflow of an organization. By mimicking the tone, the signature blocks, and the specific jargon of a vendor or a high-level partner, the adversary creates a secondary reality where a change in banking details or a diverted wire transfer seems like a routine administrative adjustment. The horror of this approach lies in its banality. There are no flashing red lights or “Access Denied” screens; there is only a quiet, professional-looking email that follows every established rule of corporate etiquette while it drains the company’s accounts.

Furthermore, the integration of generative AI into the attacker’s toolkit has eliminated the last remaining red flags that used to give these “Official” lures away. Gone are the days when a sharp-eyed employee could spot a phishing attempt by its poor grammar or awkward phrasing. Today’s lures are syntactically perfect, culturally nuanced, and tailored to the specific industry of the target. An attacker can now feed a few public interviews or LinkedIn posts from an executive into a model and generate an email that captures that individual’s unique “voice” with terrifying precision. This makes the “Official” email even more dangerous because it appeals to the victim’s sense of familiarity. Consequently, the gap between a legitimate internal communication and a fraudulent one has narrowed to the point of invisibility, leaving the human target to navigate a minefield where every step looks like solid ground.

The Weaponization of Compliance and Legal Fear

A significant portion of why people still fall for these lures is the strategic use of “regulatory theater” to induce a state of compliance-driven panic. Attackers have realized that the modern professional is terrified of three things: HR violations, tax audits, and data breaches. By framing a phishing lure as a “Mandatory Data Privacy Attestation” or an “Immediate Tax Compliance Notice,” the attacker leverages the weight of the law to bypass the user’s skepticism. These emails often include realistic references to actual legislation, such as GDPR or the CCPA, which adds a layer of superficial credibility that is hard to ignore. The victim isn’t just clicking a link; they are attempting to protect themselves or their company from a perceived legal threat. This flip of the script—making the scam look like a security measure—is a calculated move that turns a person’s best intentions into their greatest vulnerability.

In addition to legal threats, the “Official” lure often exploits the internal power dynamics of the modern workplace. In a high-pressure environment where “performance” is everything, the fear of failing to respond to a superior is a powerful motivator. I see this play out in “Urgent Request” scenarios where the email appears to come from a CEO or a Board Member who is “stuck in a meeting” and needs a quick favor. The victim is often so focused on the social reward of being helpful or the fear of appearing incompetent that they fail to perform even basic due diligence. The adversary knows that in a hierarchy, authority flows downward with a force that can flatten common sense. By the time the employee thinks to call the executive to verify the request, the gift cards have been drained or the sensitive spreadsheet has been uploaded to a command-and-control server.

Rebuilding the Perimeter on a Foundation of Radical Skepticism

If we are going to survive in this environment, we have to move past the idea that we can train the human element out of the equation. The “Official” email works because it is designed to work on humans, and humans are fundamentally social, cooperative, and prone to pressure. The solution isn’t another hour of boring slide decks; it’s a fundamental shift toward an “Assume Breach” mentality at the individual level. This means moving away from a culture of blind trust and toward one of verified communication, where no request involving data or money is ever handled through a single, unverified channel. We need to normalize the “Double-Check”—the idea that calling a coworker to verify an unusual email is not a sign of paranoia, but a standard operating procedure. This cultural shift is far harder to implement than a new firewall, but it is the only thing that can stand against the psychological precision of the modern phisher.

Moreover, organizations must stop relying on the visual “polish” of an email as a proxy for its legitimacy. We need to strip away the corporate logos and the fancy signatures in our minds and look at the raw intent of the message. If an email creates a sense of urgency, demands a bypass of standard procedures, or directs you to an external site to enter credentials, it should be treated as hostile until proven otherwise. The “Official” email is a mask, and the only way to beat it is to stop being impressed by the mask. We have to start valuing the friction in our systems—the extra steps, the out-of-band verifications, and the healthy skepticism—because that friction is the only thing that slows the attacker down long enough for us to see the hook beneath the bait. The rain is still falling on the digital asphalt, and the shadows are still reaching, but they only win when we let them lead us where they want us to go.

The persistence of the “Official” email as a top-tier threat vector is ultimately a testament to the fact that technical solutions are being applied to a non-technical problem. We are trying to use cryptographic signatures and automated filters to solve for the human desire to be helpful, the fear of authority, and the exhaustion of the modern workday. It is a mismatch of resources that the adversary exploits with predatory efficiency. When I look at the wreckage left behind by these campaigns, it is rarely the result of a single catastrophic failure; rather, it is a series of small, logical concessions made by a tired person just trying to get through their inbox. The attacker doesn’t need to be a digital ghost or a coding prodigy; they just need to be a better actor than you are a skeptic. They understand that if they can control the narrative, they can control the network, and they use the “Official” branding as the stage on which they perform their heist.

To break this cycle, we have to stop treating phishing as a “user error” and start treating it as an inevitable environmental hazard. This requires a defensive architecture that doesn’t just look for bad files, but looks for suspicious behaviors and anomalies in the flow of authority. If an executive who never handles wire transfers suddenly sends an “Official” urgent request for one, the system should be smart enough to flag the deviation, regardless of how clean the email headers look. We need to build systems that protect people from their own instinct to comply, creating hard stops and out-of-band verification requirements for any high-value transaction. The goal is to move the burden of defense off the shoulders of the individual and into the design of the workflow itself. Until we accept that the “Official” email is the most dangerous weapon in the digital world, we will continue to find ourselves staring at the empty accounts and compromised servers that are the hallmark of a successful hook, line, and sinker.

Call to Action

The time for treating phishing as a minor IT nuisance is over; it is a predatory psychological war, and you are currently the primary target. If you are a leader, you need to stop hiding behind automated filters and start building a culture where a healthy “no” is valued more than a rushed “yes.” Stop the assembly line long enough to verify the source, pick up the phone when an email feels even slightly off-kilter, and demand that your organization implements out-of-band verification for every high-stakes transaction. Don’t wait for the post-mortem report to realize your “official” communication was a ghost in the machine. Audit your workflows today, tighten your authentication protocols, and train your eyes to see the hook beneath the polish—because the next “urgent” email in your inbox isn’t looking to help you, it’s looking to gut you.

D. Bryan King

Sources

• FBI IC3 2023 Internet Crime Report
• Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR)
• CISA: Phishing Campaigns Targeting Government Entities
• Microsoft Digital Defense Report: The Evolution of Phishing
• Proofpoint 2024 State of the Phish Report
• ENISA Threat Landscape 2023
• NIST SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines
• Trellix Cyber Readiness Report: Email Security Trends
• KnowBe4 2023 Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report
• IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023
• Unit 42 Cloud Threat Report: Credential Harvesting
• CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report
• Zscaler ThreatLabz 2023 Phishing Report
• Mandiant M-Trends 2024 Special Report
• Dark Reading: How Modern Phishing Bypasses MFA
• BleepingComputer: AiTM Phishing Kits Targeting M365
• SecurityWeek: BEC Attacks Leveraging Generative AI
• Wired: The Psychology Behind the Phish
• SANS Institute: Defeating Social Engineering in the Modern Office
• ZDNet: Anatomy of a BEC Attack
• Kroll Q3 2023 Cyber Threat Landscape
• McAfee Labs: The Science of Social Engineering
• F-Secure: How Criminals Exploit Human Emotions
• Kaspersky: Spam and Phishing in 2023 Analysis
• Sophos 2023 Active Adversary Report
• SC Magazine: Phishing as a Ransomware Vector
• Threatpost: Business Email Compromise – The Invisible Threat
• Infosecurity Magazine: AI-Generated Phishing Success Rates
• CSO Online: Psychological Principles Attackers Exploit
• Help Net Security: The Democratization of Phishing Kits
• Fortinet: The Evolution of Spear Phishing
• Check Point: Common Phishing Examples and Tactics
• Rapid7: Fundamentals of Phishing and Social Engineering
• Malwarebytes: Why People Click on Malicious Links
• Bitdefender Labs: Targeting Financial Institutions
• Trend Micro: The Art of the Lure
• ESET 2023 Phishing Trends Report
• Symantec: Phishing Tactics That Evade Detection
• Cloudflare: What is Phishing? Guide for Teams
• IT Governance: Top 5 Phishing Scams of 2023

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.

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(1/?)

#chat #CognitiveLoad

Hello there! Today’s brain-buster: cognitive load. Flip our UX/UI glossary flashcard for the scoop: https://lingualeveling.substack.com/p/glossary-uxui-cognitive-load
#ESL #EnglishLearning #DigitalLearning #UXUI #cognitiveload

AI Doesn’t Reduce Work—It Intensifies It https://hbr.org/2026/02/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it
“AI introduced a new rhythm in which workers managed several active threads at once: manually writing code while AI generated an alternative version, running multiple agents in parallel, or reviving long-deferred tasks because AI could “handle them” in the background. They did this, in part, because they felt they had a “partner” that could help them move through their workload.

While this sense of having a “partner” enabled a feeling of momentum, the reality was a continual switching of attention, frequent checking of #AI outputs, and a growing number of open tasks. This created #cognitiveload and a sense of always juggling
… What looks like higher #productivity in the short run can mask silent workload creep and growing cognitive strain as employees juggle multiple AI-enabled workflows
… overwork can impair judgment, increase the likelihood of errors, and make it harder for organizations to distinguish genuine productivity gains from unsustainable intensity
… the cumulative effect is fatigue, #burnout, and a growing sense that work is harder to step away from, especially as organizational expectations for speed and responsiveness rise."
#LaborEcon

AI Doesn’t Reduce Work—It Intensifies It https://hbr.org/2026/02/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it
“AI introduced a new rhythm in which workers managed several active threads at once: manually writing code while AI generated an alternative version, running multiple agents in parallel, or reviving long-deferred tasks because AI could “handle them” in the background. They did this, in part, because they felt they had a “partner” that could help them move through their workload.

While this sense of having a “partner” enabled a feeling of momentum, the reality was a continual switching of attention, frequent checking of #AI outputs, and a growing number of open tasks. This created #cognitiveload and a sense of always juggling
… What looks like higher #productivity in the short run can mask silent workload creep and growing cognitive strain as employees juggle multiple AI-enabled workflows
… overwork can impair judgment, increase the likelihood of errors, and make it harder for organizations to distinguish genuine productivity gains from unsustainable intensity
… the cumulative effect is fatigue, #burnout, and a growing sense that work is harder to step away from, especially as organizational expectations for speed and responsiveness rise."
#LaborEcon

Having just undergone foot #surgery, I'd say yes -

Nike Says Its New Shoes Can Alter Your Mind. A Neuroscientist Weighs in. https://www.sciencealert.com/nike-says-its-new-shoes-can-alter-your-mind-a-neuroscientist-weighs-in

#bunions #embodiedcognition #somatosensorycortex #proprioception #cognitiveload

Having just undergone foot #surgery, I'd say yes -

Nike Says Its New Shoes Can Alter Your Mind. A Neuroscientist Weighs in. https://www.sciencealert.com/nike-says-its-new-shoes-can-alter-your-mind-a-neuroscientist-weighs-in

#bunions #embodiedcognition #somatosensorycortex #proprioception #cognitiveload

Operating System Friction

https://islandinthenet.com/operating-system-friction/

Operating System Friction

https://islandinthenet.com/operating-system-friction/

Shutting Out the Noise

https://www.brittanynwoods.com/blog/shutting-out-the-noise

#CognitiveLoad #SocialMedia

Shutting Out the Noise

https://www.brittanynwoods.com/blog/shutting-out-the-noise

#CognitiveLoad #SocialMedia

Felipe’s been digging through the archives again. This week’s forage looks at what actually reduces cognitive load, and what only looks helpful at first. Gentle pattern recognition, myth-busting, and systems that get out of the way.
#CognitiveLoad #NeurodivergentLife

https://dreamspacestudio.net/felipes-friday-forage-reduce-cognitive-load-tools-that-truly-help/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Overwhelm isn’t always about doing too much. Often, it’s about carrying too many invisible steps. This post explores hidden cognitive labor, why it drains energy, and how noticing the system—not blaming yourself—can bring relief.
#CognitiveLoad #NeurodivergentLife

https://dreamspacestudio.net/understanding-invisible-steps-overcoming-overwhelm/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

“Simple” systems still require upkeep. Over time, that maintenance can become exhausting. This post explores maintenance fatigue, why even minimal tools drain energy, and how to design systems that don’t collapse when life gets messy.
#CognitiveLoad #NeurodivergentLife

https://dreamspacestudio.net/the-hidden-maintenance-cost-of-simple-systems/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Feeling exhausted even when nothing “gets done”? Decision-making is real work, even when it leaves no visible output. This post explores decision fatigue, cognitive load, and why exhaustion isn’t a personal failure.
#CognitiveLoad #NeurodivergentLife

https://dreamspacestudio.net/why-decision-making-is-real-work-even-when-nothing-gets-done/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

C’è una solitudine di cui si parla poco.
Non è stare senza nessuno.
È stare insieme riducendosi.

Succede anche nelle relazioni sociali.
Quando il cervello non smette mai di lavorare, stare insieme diventa adattamento.

🦔

#neurodivergenza 
#autismoadulto 
#relazionisociali
#neurodiversity 
#socialfatigue 
#cognitiveload 
#michiyospace

https://michiyospace.altervista.org/la-solitudine-cognitiva/

C’è una solitudine di cui si parla poco.
Non è stare senza nessuno.
È stare insieme riducendosi.

Succede anche nelle relazioni sociali.
Quando il cervello non smette mai di lavorare, stare insieme diventa adattamento.

🦔

#neurodivergenza 
#autismoadulto 
#relazionisociali
#neurodiversity 
#socialfatigue 
#cognitiveload 
#michiyospace

https://michiyospace.altervista.org/la-solitudine-cognitiva/

Entstigmatisierung mit Games – Podcast E122

Mit Games Vorurteile abbauen, über Mental Health-Themen wie Depression oder Psychosen lernen und Betroffene besser verstehen – gelingt Entstigmatisierung durchs Spielen? Mit Dr. Marco Rüth diskutieren wir die Forschungslage mitsamt seiner eigenen, frisch publizierten Studie und überlegen, ob es ein perfektes Game zur Entstigmatisierung geben könnte.

Bild: Duru, Twisted Ramble Games

Zu Gast

• Dr. Marco Rüth | Linktree

Hosts

• Dr. Benjamin Strobel, Jessica Kathmann | Behind the Screens

TLDR

Transkript für Folge 122 herunterladen

00:00:00 Intro und Begrüßung von Marco
00:08:30 Was ist ein Stigma? Welche Auswirkungen kann Stigmatisierung haben?
00:16:48 Wie gelingt Entstigmatisierung
00:21:35 Marcos Studie: Mit dem Game Duru über Depression lernen
00:43:59 Ergebnisse von Marcos Studie
00:47:32 Welchen Einfluss hat es, ob man ein Spiel selbst spielt oder nur ein Video davon sieht?
01:07:15 Wie müsste ein Spiel gestaltet sein, damit es entstigmatisierend wirken kann?
01:24:37 Fazit und Abmoderation

Psychologie und Konzepte

• Nostalgie
• Stigma
• Entstigmatisierung
• Mental Health
• Depression
• Cognitive Bias
• Ingroup-Bias
• Theorie der sozialen Identität
• Halo-Effekt
• Stereotypen
• Kontakthypothese
• Systemische Therapie
• Psychoedukation
• Stimulus (Experiment)
• Think Aloud-Protokoll
• Cognitive Load
• Alptraum
• Prozedurale Rhetorik
• Pacing (Game Design)
• Verfügbarkeitsheuristik
• Priming

Literatur und weitere Links

• Learning about depression by watching gaming videos: a case study on the potential of digital games for psychoeducation and destigmatization (Rüth et al., 2025)
• Games, was können wir aus euren Erzählungen lernen? Über die Rolle von Erzählungen beim Lernen mit digitalen Spielen (Rüth, 2025)
• Conceptualizing and measuring mental illness stigma: The mental illness stigma framework and critical review of measures. (Fox et al., 2018)
• Entstigmatisierung psychischer Erkrankungen: Scoping Review zu Interventionen und Bestandsaufnahme von Best-Practice-Beispielen (Kerkemeyer et al., 2022)
• Entstigmatisierung psychischer Erkrankungen. Scoping Review zu Interventionen und Bestandsaufnahme von Best-Practice-Beispielen. Ergebnisbericht. (Kerkemeyer & Achtert, 2021)
• Flow and Immersion in Video Games: The Aftermath of a Conceptual Challenge (Michailidis et al., 2018)
• Reducing Mental Health Stigma Through Identification With Video Game Avatars With Mental Illness (Ferchaud et al., 2020)
• Stigmatisierung im Gesundheitssystem (Jiménez et al., 2023)
• Repräsentation in Games – Podcast E035 – Behind the Screens
• Depression in Duru – Podcast E022 – Behind the Screens

Games

• Duru
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

In eigener Sache

Wenn euch die Folge gefallen hat, hinterlasst uns doch eine gute Bewertung bei Apple und Spotify oder abonniert uns bei Amazon Music, Audible oder Deezer. All das hilft uns dabei, auf den Plattformen sichtbarerer zu werden.

Wenn ihr uns finanziell unterstützen möchtet, könnt ihr das auf Steady tun – jeder Beitrag hilft uns, Behind the Screens weiter wachsen zu lassen.

Wir freuen uns über Feedback. Schreibt uns doch einen Kommentar unter diesen Post oder meldet euch via BlueSky oder LinkedIn. Noch besser: Diskutiert mit uns auf Discord!

#Albtraum #Alptraum #CognitiveBias #CognitiveLoad #Depression #Entstigmatisierung #HaloEffekt #IngroupBias #Kontakthypothese #MentalHealth #Nostalgie #PacingGameDesign_ #ProzeduraleRhetorik #Psychoedukation #Stereotypen #Stigma #StimulusExperiment_ #SystemischeTherapie #TheorieDerSozialenIdentität #ThinkAloudProtokoll #Verfügbarkeitsheuristik

Richard Mayer’s research on multimedia for learning actually proves text works better

Educational technology professionals cite Richard Mayer’s 2008 study more than any other research on multimedia instruction.

They are citing the wrong conclusion.

Mayer did not prove multimedia enhances learning.

He proved multimedia creates cognitive problems requiring ten different workarounds – and accidentally built the case for text-based instruction.

What Richard Mayer actually found

Through hundreds of controlled experiments, Richard Mayer identified ten principles for multimedia design.

The pattern is striking: most principles involve removing elements from presentations.

Five principles focus on reducing “extraneous processing” – cognitive waste that multimedia creates.

1. Remove irrelevant material.
2. Highlight essential information buried among distractions.
3. Eliminate simultaneous animation, narration, and text because learners perform better with only two elements.
4. Place corresponding words and pictures close together.
5. Present them simultaneously, not sequentially.

Three principles manage “essential processing” when content is complex.

1. Break presentations into learner-controlled segments.
2. Use spoken rather than printed text with graphics.
3. Provide pre-training before complex multimedia instruction.

Two principles foster deeper learning.

1. Combine words and pictures rather than words alone.
2. Use conversational rather than formal language.

The hidden message: multimedia instruction is so cognitively demanding that it requires ten specialized principles to avoid harming learning.

Richard Mayer’s split attention revelation

Mayer’s modality principle seems to endorse multimedia: learners perform better with graphics plus spoken text than graphics plus printed text.

Educational technologists celebrate this as proof that multimedia works.

They miss the real insight.

Graphics with printed text create split attention – learners cannot simultaneously look at pictures while reading words.

They must constantly switch between visual elements, wasting cognitive resources on coordination rather than learning.

Richard Mayer’s solution uses different channels: visual graphics with auditory narration.

But this still requires complex mental coordination between multiple input streams while maintaining focus on learning objectives.

Text-based instruction eliminates split attention entirely.

(There are deeply-rooted cultural and historical reasons for the distrust of text.)

Learners process information through one coherent channel that naturally supports sequential, analytical thinking.

The damage control principles in Richard Mayer’s principles

Step back from individual findings and Mayer’s principles reveal themselves as damage control.

The coherence principle removes distractions that multimedia introduces.

The redundancy principle eliminates conflicts between competing inputs.

The segmenting principle provides control that multimedia complexity demands.

The pre-training principle prepares learners for cognitive challenges that simpler instruction avoids.

Each principle represents additional design constraints requiring specialized expertise and extensive testing.

They exist because multimedia instruction is fundamentally problematic.

Text extends Richard Mayer’s logic

At The Geneva Learning Foundation, we work with 70,000 health practitioners using text-based peer learning.

Nigerian practitioners write about extreme heat forcing people to sleep outdoors, increasing malaria exposure.

Colleagues in Brazil, Chad, Ghana, and India read these accounts, analyze climate-health connections, and provide structured feedback through expert-designed rubrics.

No graphics.

No audio coordination.

No split attention problems.

Read our article: Against chocolate-covered broccoli: text-based alternatives to expensive multimedia content

Direct engagement with content that supports rather than complicates learning.

This approach achieves Richard Mayer’s goals through elimination rather than optimization.

Ultimate coherence by presenting only essential information.

Zero redundancy through single-channel processing.

Natural segmenting through text’s inherent reader control.

No pre-training needed because text presents information in logical, sequential structures.

The multimedia principle reconsidered

Mayer’s most famous finding – people learn better from words and pictures than words alone – deserves scrutiny.

This emerged from comparing passive multimedia consumption to passive text reading.

It equates learning with recall.

Neither condition included structured peer interaction, collaborative analysis, or iterative revision that characterize more complex learning.

When learners create knowledge through text-based peer learning, they achieve outcomes that passive consumption of any media cannot match.

The effect size for active text-based learning exceeds Mayer’s multimedia findings while avoiding cognitive coordination problems.

The economic evidence

Mayer’s ten principles exist because multimedia design is expensive and complex.

Each principle represents additional constraints demanding specialized expertise.

Typical multimedia modules are expensive.

Text-based peer learning costs a fraction of this amount while producing superior outcomes.

Resources should flow toward learning infrastructure such as expert rubrics and facilitated dialogue – elements that actually drive learning rather than manage cognitive problems.

The real choice

Educational technology leaders face a fundamental decision: invest in managing multimedia’s problems or adopt approaches that avoid those problems entirely.

Mayer’s research illuminates multimedia’s cognitive costs.

His ten principles represent sophisticated damage control, not learning enhancement.

They minimize harm rather than maximize potential.

Text-based instruction honors Mayer’s deeper insights while rejecting surface implications.

It achieves the cognitive efficiency his principles attempt to restore to multimedia environments.

References

1. Berrocal, Y., Regan, J., Fisher, J., Darr, A., Hammersmith, L., Aiyer, M., 2021. Implementing Rubric-Based Peer Review for Video Microlecture Design in Health Professions Education. Med.Sci.Educ. 31, 1761–1765. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01437-1
2. Clark, R.C., Mayer, R.E. (Eds.), 2016. e‐Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning, 1st ed. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119239086
3. Feenberg, A. The written world: On the theory and practice of computer conferencing. Mindweave: Communication, computers, and distance education 22–39 (1989).
4. Mayer, R.E., 2008. Applying the science of learning: Evidence-based principles for the design of multimedia instruction. American Psychologist 63, 760–769. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.63.8.760
5. Mayer, R.E., 2005. Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, in: Mayer, R. (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. Cambridge University Press, pp. 31–48. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511816819.004
6. Mayer, R.E., Heiser, J., Lonn, S., 2001. Cognitive constraints on multimedia learning: When presenting more material results in less understanding. Journal of Educational Psychology 93, 187–198. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.93.1.187
7. Mayer, R.E., Moreno, R., 2003. Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning. Educational Psychologist 38, 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3801_6
8. Mayer, R.E., Moreno, R., 2002. Animation as an Aid to Multimedia Learning. Educational Psychology Review 14, 87–99. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013184611077
9. Plass, J.L., Chun, D.M., Mayer, R.E., Leutner, D., 2003. Cognitive load in reading a foreign language text with multimedia aids and the influence of verbal and spatial abilities. Computers in Human Behavior 19, 221–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0747-5632(02)00015-8
10. Sweller, J., 2005. Implications of Cognitive Load Theory for Multimedia Learning, in: Mayer, R. (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. Cambridge University Press, pp. 19–30. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511816819.003

Image: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2025

Cognitive Load is what matters

https://github.com/zakirullin/cognitive-load

#HackerNews #CognitiveLoad #CognitiveScience #LearningTech #Education #Psychology

Cognitive Load is what matters

https://github.com/zakirullin/cognitive-load

#HackerNews #CognitiveLoad #CognitiveScience #LearningTech #Education #Psychology

🎤 Dmitrii Ivanov spoke at Appdevcon!

The talk 'Beyond the Code: Identifying and Reducing Complexity in Software Design' is now live!💪 🚀

🎥 Watch it here: https://appdevcon.nl/session/beyond-the-code-identifying-and-reducing-complexity-in-software-design/

#adc25 #bestpractice #architecture #cognitiveload #complexity #appdevcon

🎤 Dmitrii Ivanov spoke at Appdevcon!

The talk 'Beyond the Code: Identifying and Reducing Complexity in Software Design' is now live!💪 🚀

🎥 Watch it here: https://appdevcon.nl/session/beyond-the-code-identifying-and-reducing-complexity-in-software-design/

#adc25 #bestpractice #architecture #cognitiveload #complexity #appdevcon

What happens to your brain when you watch videos online at faster speeds than normal
#FastPlayback #DigitalLearning #CognitiveLoad #MemoryRecall #BrainHealth #OnlineLearning #VideoSpeed #EdTech #AttentionSpan #LearningScience #Neuroscience #MentalFatigue
https://the-14.com/what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-watch-videos-online-at-faster-speeds-than-normal/

What happens to your brain when you watch videos online at faster speeds than normal
#FastPlayback #DigitalLearning #CognitiveLoad #MemoryRecall #BrainHealth #OnlineLearning #VideoSpeed #EdTech #AttentionSpan #LearningScience #Neuroscience #MentalFatigue
https://the-14.com/what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-watch-videos-online-at-faster-speeds-than-normal/

"The real innovation, the sustainable progress, comes from maintaining deep understanding while embracing AI's capabilities."

#softwareengineering #cognitiveload #vibecoding

https://nmn.gl/blog/dangers-vibe-coding

"The real innovation, the sustainable progress, comes from maintaining deep understanding while embracing AI's capabilities."

#softwareengineering #cognitiveload #vibecoding

https://nmn.gl/blog/dangers-vibe-coding

The #platform is first and foremost a curated experience for its users, usually engineers in internal teams. We must design the platform with the user in mind, with a strong focus on the user experience and developer experience. A curated experience means that we provide value by focusing on reducing the #cognitiveload for users by making the platform easy to use.

Often this means simplifying the use of external software and services, through useful internal abstractions and workflows.

The #platform is first and foremost a curated experience for its users, usually engineers in internal teams. We must design the platform with the user in mind, with a strong focus on the user experience and developer experience. A curated experience means that we provide value by focusing on reducing the #cognitiveload for users by making the platform easy to use.

Often this means simplifying the use of external software and services, through useful internal abstractions and workflows.

A few times over the last several decades I’ve unsubscribed from every social media account, RSS feed, newsletter, YouTube channel, etc. and started with a clean slate. My goal was, as I wrote about in 2012 on this blog, to break out of my echo chamber and hopefully expand my thinking.

Slowly resubscribing to my interests is a lot of work. But it has been worth it and I know I have been […]

https://cdevroe.com/2025/03/19/spring-is-for-unsubscribing/

Have you ever wondered how to measure #CognitiveLoad? There is no standardized scientific method for measuring it. However, for teams involved in software delivery and operations, we can ask about their understanding of the software, business domain, and user needs. By identifying factors that contribute to increased cognitive load, such as #testability, #operability, prioritization difficulties, and domain complexity, we can work towards alleviating these challenges.

Onderzoekers van een aantal Duitse universiteiten hebben onderzoek gedaan waarbij zij hebben gekeken naar cognitieve belasting en leerresultaten bij het het gebruik van grote taalmodellen (LLM's), in vergelijking met traditionele zoekmachines, voor het verzamelen van informatie tijdens het leren. Wat valt op?
https://www.te-learning.nl/blog/grote-taalmodellen-reduceren-cognitieve-belasting-al-kan-dit-ook-ten-koste-gaan-van-het-leren/
#generatieveai #artificialintelligence #onderzoek #cognitiveload #onderwijs #verdiependleren #onderzoekendleren #edutoot

This is a nice read about developers cognitive load. https://minds.md/zakirullin/cognitive#full #softwaredevelopment #cognitiveload

My latest blog post discusses one of my favorite pieces of advice on API design.

> When in doubt, leave it out.

It comes from Joshua Bloch, one of the architects of Java.

https://henko.net/blog/leave-it-out/

#programming #api #softwardesign #minimalism #cognitiveload

"There is no definitive metric for ascertaining the #cognitiveload of a #valuestream. Sometimes you can tell by looking at an event storm and the capabilities that a subdomain will be too much work for a single team. In other cases, the situation might not be so clear, so we suggest evaluating your candidate subdomains using this cognitive load assessment chart".

Hear more in the free video from the "Independent #ValueStreams with #DomainDrivenDesign" course https://lnkd.in/eXgwG64k

This is why it’s crucial to recognize these patterns and structure your decision-making process to reduce mental strain and boost overall well-being.
https://retroworldnews.com/understanding-decision-fatigue-and-effective-strategies-to-manage-it/

#DecisionFatigue #MentalHealth #Productivity #WorkLifeBalance #StressManagement #CognitiveLoad #Mindfulness #TimeManagement #SelfCare #Leadership #DecisionMaking #Focus #WorkplaceWellness #EmotionalIntelligence #BurnoutPrevention #PersonalDevelopment #StrategicThinking #Resilience #HealthyHabits #WorkplaceProductivity #life

‘just because it’s digital doesn't mean it's accurate’ news now…

43 studies comparing student tests on computer vs paper #education #literacy #numeracy #WorkingMemory #CognitiveLoad https://phys.org/news/2024-08-students-paper.html

Hey @grimalkina have you written anything about what drives cognitive load in software engineering?

A coworker is interested in the topic, and I thought of you. They referenced an IEEE paper (10.1109/CHASE.2019.00030), so I am wondering if you have anything that's good or better?

#SoftwareEngineering #CognitiveLoad
#Resilience