the state that occurs when the amount or intensity of information exceeds the individual’s processing capacity, leading to anxiety, poor decision making, and other undesirable consequences. Different people respond differently to information overload, and individuals with conditions such as autism can be especially sensitive to it. Thus, the subjective condition of the person is as important as the absolute amount of informational stimulation he or she encounters. See also cognitive overload; communication overload; sensory overload; stimulus overload.
n. a set of study methods developed on the basis of research in cognitive psychology. The set represents six steps required for acquiring information: preview, question, read, reflect, recite, and review.