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Task Load

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology

Synonyms

Task allocation; Task demand; Workload

Definition

Task load is a measurement of human performance that broadly refers to the levels of difficulty an individual encounters when executing a task.

Current Knowledge

Cognitive task load, task demands, task allocation, and workload are similar terms frequently used in the disciplines of human factors or organizational psychology to model human behavior. According to Neerincx (2003), cognitive task load can be operationally defined as a function of three factors: time taken to perform a task, level of information processing, and number of task switches that occur in the context of task performance. Time denotes the amount of time that is allocated for task completion. Level of information processing comprises automatic processes (skills), routine problem-solving (rules), and the more complex analysis of information to generate strategies (knowledge). Task switching occurs when components of a task have competing goals. Task load...

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References and Readings

  • Neerincx, M. A. (2003). Cognitive task load analysis: Allocating tasks and designing support. In E. Hollnagel (Ed.), Handbook of cognitive task design (pp. 283–306). Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA

    Molly E. Zimmerman

Authors
  1. Molly E. Zimmerman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Molly E. Zimmerman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Jeffrey S. Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation, Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Independent Practice, Wynnewood, PA, USA

    Bruce Caplan

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Zimmerman, M.E. (2018). Task Load. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1256

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