Integrating Cognitive Load Theory and Concepts in Silver Gaming: A Review and Directions for Future Research

The fluid intelligence of adults tends to deteriorate in old age, which affects their abilityAbilities to process and manipulate information. Although video gamesGames provide many benefits to older adults, declining cognitiveCognitive abilitiesAbilities may hinder them from engaging in gamingGaming. Three types of cognitive loadCognitive load, viz., intrinsic, extraneous, and germane, that exist in gamesGames are reviewed in this chapter to raise the awareness of cognitive loadCognitive load in silver gamingGaming. Intrinsic cognitive loadCognitive load is assumed to be only influenced by changing the nature of the task or knowledge level of the learnersLearners. However, this chapter suggests that intrinsic cognitive loadCognitive load in gamesGames depends on the interactivityInteractivity of core and interaction elements and can be altered and reduced during gameGames design stages. Most instructional design guidelines for reducing extraneous cognitive loadCognitive load do not target older adults. Thus, further studies on extraneous cognitive loadCognitive load should be done in silver gamingGaming. Germane cognitive loadCognitive load can also be optimized by limiting extraneous cognitive loadCognitive load, which facilitates the constructionConstruction of schemas. In addition to discussing and analyzing the role of cognitive loadCognitive load in silver gamingGaming with examples, this chapter also provides recommendationsRecommendations for future research direction on cognitive loadCognitive load in gameGames design for older players, such that they are likely to benefit from gamesGames.