Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Are You Smart Enough For Your Smart Phone? A Cognitive Load Comparison, Fayez Alshehri, Mark Freeman, Alison E. Freeman

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The popularity of mobile devices, and particularly smart phones, has been driven by rapid developments in their power, capabilities and features. However, these developments create new and additional demands on users. Increased attention and more complex thought patterns are required to interact with such technology. Testing three popular smart phones, this research applies the principles of Cognitive Load Theory to evaluate the impact of varied operating systems and interaction modes on users' cognitive load. NASA Task Load Index was used to measure participants' perceptions of the cognitive load imposed by interaction with these mobile devices. While different operating systems were …