Control-as-Load Condition v0.2: A State-Dependent Hypothesis on Additional Control Activity and Subsequent Recoverability

Abstract

This technical note presents Control-as-Load Condition v0.2 as a standalone and empirically testable hypothesis. The central proposal is that the recovery-related effect of additional Control activity varies with within-person state, while task performance is treated as a separate outcome. The model focuses on Load and Capacity as primary state variables and on subsequent Recoverability as the main recovery-related outcome. It predicts that the association between greater additional Control activity and subsequent Recoverability shifts in a more negative direction as Load increases and Capacity decreases. Control pressure is treated as an exploratory construct whose independent validity remains to be established. The note distinguishes Control activity from task performance, defines candidate indicators of subsequent Recoverability, outlines competing explanations and falsification conditions, and proposes a preliminary within-person measurement strategy. It does not present a validated scale, diagnostic criterion, causal proof, or general recommendation to reduce control. Version 0.2 substantially revises the earlier Control-as-Load formulation and reframes it as a narrower, falsifiable hypothesis.