Many of us have been exposed to the concept of “short-term memory” through games or experiments. Our short-term memory can usually retain around five to seven things at a time. During the lockdown, I have been doing the groceries for my parents. Over the phone, as my mother’s list extends beyond five items, I start noting them down. I don’t want to tax my brain. I don’t think anyone tries to remember ten-digit mobile numbers anymore. They are too long.
An Australian psychologist John Sweller had developed
the Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), which may explain why our minds and memory can
be in a mess during pandemic times. When we are dealing with a task or working
on a problem, particularly an unfamiliar one, we depend on our “working memory”.
Working memory has limited capacity. When you are an expert at a certain task, most
of what you need to know is stored in the long-term memory, and you can complete
the task on auto-pilot. For a new or unfamiliar task, you depend on your
working memory.
As the lockdown began, our part-time maid stopped
visiting our house. My wife, daughter and I split her tasks amongst us. Putting
up the washing to dry on ceiling-high rods became my responsibility. (This skill
doesn’t require a doctorate.) In the first few weeks, I realized that my
running dry-fit clothes were slipping from the aluminum rod. Like a circus
artist, sometimes I had to try many times before hanging a slippery t-shirt. I
was using my working memory, taking an extra cognitive load. Our semi-literate
maid is an expert, and her hands do the job without taxing her brain.
Pandemic plays havoc on our mental function by taking
us out of our auto-pilot zone. Women are great at multi-tasking. With a dish in
the microwave, clothes in the washing machine, a woman may quickly add a few
likes on FB, watch a WhatsApp video and giggle, and keep an eye on the TV. Now
suddenly her two children are attending school on two laptops. They must be fed
at lunchtime. Instead of escaping to the office, she has to worry about the
planned Zoom call, and wonder if the Wi-Fi, laptop and Zoom audio will all work
as required. All these routines are a great burden on the limited mind capacity,
causing utter exhaustion. In many activities, we are like novices, not experts.
*****
Research has shown that anxiety and stress further
reduce the working memory capacity. A bright student performing badly due to
exam nerves is a good example. Pilot of a passenger plane, and pilot of a
military fighter plane share the same basic technical competencies. But in a
war zone, the fighter pilot is super alert and under constant pressure.
In the pandemic, we are like that fighter plane pilot.
*****
We usually can cope up with a new situation, develop expertise,
reduce load on the working memory. I can now hang clothes proficiently. But the
novel pandemic disruptions are unstoppable.
Earlier, when leaving the house, we carried a
wallet/purse, handkerchief, house keys, car key, mobile. In most cases, this
was a matter of reflex with no load on our memory. Now we have to carry a mask
and wear it. Some carry a sanitizer bottle. By the time we practiced and
remembered to wash surfaces, door handles, vegetables, coins; it transpired the
virus may be transmitted through air in badly ventilated enclosures. It is a
strain on our memory to forbid our reflexes to shake hands or hug.
*****
It is important to be aware of the activities and
anxiety that are loading our limited cognitive capacity. I will discuss in another part the remedial
strategies to reduce that burden.
Ravi
Looking forward to the next part. And how to be more efficient!
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