According to cognitive load theory, which description correctly matches intrinsic, extraneous, and germane load, and which example reduces extraneous load?

• A. Intrinsic load is irrelevant visuals; extraneous load is task difficulty; germane load is memory capacity; example: increasing working memory capacity.
• B. Intrinsic load is extraneous processing; extraneous load is task complexity; germane load is irrelevant; example: adding more prompts.
• C. Intrinsic load is task complexity; extraneous load is unnecessary processing; germane load is productive; example: removing irrelevant visuals to reduce extraneous load.
• D. Intrinsic load is memory storage; extraneous load is long-term retrieval; germane load is equal distribution; example: splitting tasks increases extraneous load.

Answer: (C)

In cognitive load theory, three types of load shape how much mental effort a learner must use: intrinsic load comes from the inherent difficulty of the task and the learner’s prior knowledge; extraneous load arises from how information is presented and can create unnecessary processing; germane load is the productive mental effort devoted to building and automating schemas. The description in this item aligns with that understanding: intrinsic load is task complexity, extraneous load is unnecessary processing, and germane load is productive processing. The example—removing irrelevant visuals to reduce extraneous load—fits because eliminating pointless elements frees cognitive resources, allowing more effort to go toward meaningful learning and schema construction. Other options mix up these terms (for example, intrinsic load isn’t about memory storage, and extraneous load isn’t simply task complexity), so they don’t match the standard definitions.