Cognitive Offloading: Systematic Review of a Decade

Abstract

Cognitive offloading refers to the use of physical action to alter information processing requirement of the given task. Offloading can be done either internally or externally. We have been included cognitive offloading through external tools related papers. Cognitive offloading is applied aspect of Extended Mind Thesis (EMT). EMT is applicable to human beings, technological & cognitive artefacts and self & group. Deliberation points on EMT has been found: what is cognitive and how to differentiate causal coupling from constitutive. Necessary deliberations either acceptance or rejections till date has been included (from 2009 onwards) in this paper. EMT can also be applied to the web, known as web based cognitive offloading where web is collection of external representations. Interaction of mind with artefact is also included in this paper till date to enrich knowledge as mind artefact interaction is one of the forms of cognitive offloading. Empirical studies of cognitive offloading found in literature which revolve around the questions of why one engages in cognitive offloading despite of good memory. For poor memory or brain damage, external tools are good compensatory tool. This paper specifically deals with advances in technological & cognitive artifacts and at the end, future directions in cognitive offloading has been suggested.