The Cognitive Load of an Internal Point of View over the Rule of Law

The Rule of Law is increasingly challenged by populist models of government that offer simple and direct solutions unencumbered by rules. The CLEAR project investigates this phenomenon through the lenses of legal philosophy and cognitive psychology, advancing the hypothesis that the Rule of Law entails a higher cognitive load than its main alternative, which we call Populist Authoritarianism. Experimental results confirm that non-experts perceive Rule of Law concepts as more abstract and harder to process, whereas legal education significantly reduces this cognitive burden. To make these values more accessible, the project has developed “legal design” guidelines grounded in empirical data and produced an animated video for high school students, in which storytelling in a relatable school setting is used to transform the concept of Rule of Law into a concrete, contextualized, and emotionally resonant experience.