Eyes and Ears - Learn to Play: Designing Tutorials for Video Games - page 95

Mental sound studio
(e phonological loop)

Processing center
(Working memory)

Mental art studio
( e visuospatial sketchpad)

Storage
(Long term memory)

Figure 6.1 Human memory diagram. (Figure courtesy of Peter Kalmar.)

Second, the load that it takes to run the phonological loop and the
visuospatial sketchpad is additive. That is to say, every sound and sym-
bol that has to be processed in working memory takes up some of
your very limited cognitive resources. For this reason, it is important
to think carefully about our uses for sound. Mann's attentional con-
trol theory also comes with an instructional design model called the
Structured Sound Functions (SSF) model, which provides key uses
for sound in multimedia education. The boiled-down version is that
every little bit of sound we add on to something takes up a little more
of our cognitive resources. After a while, a natural filtering effect
takes place, in which certain information is prioritized or ignored.
Which information is prioritized and which is ignored, unfortunately,
can be unpredictable. Imagine for a moment the effect of being in
a crowded subway. You will have visual and spatial indicators, such
as other people moving around, signs lighting and dimming, trains
moving, advertisements, and so on. On top of that, there are auditory
indicators: the screech of trains, the PA system, other people talking,
footsteps, and more. You know logically that you are hearing and see-
ing all of these things, but much of it is filtered. For example, if after
exposing you to this hypothetical crowded agoraphobic nightmare I
were to ask you, “At which minute, out of the ten you were in the sub-
way, did you hear the clicking of high-heeled shoes?”, I would be will-
ing to bet that you would be unable to answer. In fact, I would bet you
would be unsure whether you heard them at all. This is a natural effect