Abstract
<jats:p>Cognitive load affects performance efficiency in conditions of rapidly growing data volumes and increasingly complex professional and academic tasks. This article introduces a systematic review of theoretical foundations and methods for measuring cognitive load reported in 1970–2024. The research objective was to systematize the existing approaches to understanding cognitive load and connect each of them to the applied measurement methods. The key conceptual models included D. Kahneman’s capacity theory, A. D. Baddeley and G. J. Hitch’s model of working memory, A. F. Sanders’ cognitive-energetic model of stress and human performance, C. D. Wickens’ multiple resource theory, J. Sweller’s cognitive load theory, and the expanded cognitive load theory by F. Paas et al. The four main groups of measurement methods included subjective, objective-behavioral, objective-psychophysiological, and multimodal approaches. The authors developed an integrative methodological framework to link the theoretical models with the corresponding measurement methods. By de-fragmentizing the research field, the framework provided a more informed choice of tools for empirical and applied studies. Multimodal methods proved to be more advantageous since they ensured a more comprehensive assessment of cognitive load in modern scientific research. The results may be used to increase academic efficiency, improve the safety of academic and professional activities, and develop new adaptive digital learning systems.</jats:p>