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Righi S, Gavazzi G, Benedetti V, Raineri G, Viggiano MP. How the Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognitive Functioning Is Modulated by Gender Differences. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:408. [PMID: 38671829 PMCID: PMC11048133 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11040408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) can be a promising tool to simulate reality in various settings but the real impact of this technology on the human mental system is still unclear as to how VR might (if at all) interfere with cognitive functioning. Using a computer, we can concentrate, enter a state of flow, and still maintain control over our surrounding world. Differently, VR is a very immersive experience which could be a challenge for our ability to allocate divided attention to the environment to perform executive functioning tasks. This may also have a different impact on women and men since gender differences in both executive functioning and the immersivity experience have been referred to by the literature. The present study aims to investigate cognitive multitasking performance as a function of (1) virtual reality and computer administration and (2) gender differences. To explore this issue, subjects were asked to perform simultaneous tasks (span forward and backward, logical-arithmetic reasoning, and visuospatial reasoning) in virtual reality via a head-mounted display system (HDMS) and on a personal computer (PC). Our results showed in virtual reality an overall impairment of executive functioning but a better performance of women, compared to men, in visuospatial reasoning. These findings are consistent with previous studies showing a detrimental effect of virtual reality on cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Righi
- Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Florence, Italy; (G.G.); (V.B.); (G.R.); (M.P.V.)
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2
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Guo R, Liu Y, Lu HJ, Jing A. Can you accurately monitor your behaviors while multitasking? The effect of multitasking on metacognition. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:580-593. [PMID: 37707650 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01875-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
With the pace of life accelerating, multitasking has become the norm in daily life. According to research, multiple cognitive processes, including numerical reasoning, comprehension, and writing, are negatively affected by multitasking. However, only a few studies have investigated the relationship between multitasking and metacognition. In this study, the effect of multitasking on metacognition was examined using a prospective monitoring paradigm (prediction of subsequent recall performance). In Experiment 1, the participants simultaneously studied word pairs (primary task) and differentiated between different sound pitches (secondary task) and then predicted their performance in a subsequent memory test for the studied word pairs (prospective metacognitive monitoring). The accuracy of metacognitive evaluation with multitasking was then compared with that without multitasking. In Experiment 2, sounds and icons of real-life applications were used to improve the ecological validity of the experiment in the secondary task. The results indicated that multitasking impaired metacognition in both artificial and real-life simulated scenarios. In addition, the participants who engaged in more media multitasking in their daily lives exhibited poorer metacognitive monitoring abilities in single tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqiao Guo
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hui Jing Lu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Annan Jing
- School of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, People's Republic of China
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3
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Zhang J, Li X, Liu S, Xu C, Zhang Z. Frequent media multitasking modulates the temporal dynamics of resting-state electroencephalography networks. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 195:112265. [PMID: 37981033 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.112265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Multitasking with two or more media and devices has become increasingly common in our daily lives. The impact of chronic media multitasking on our cognitive abilities has received extensive concern. Converging studies have shown that heavy media multitaskers (HMM) have a greater demand for sensation seeking and are more easily distracted by task-irrelevant information than light media multitaskers (LMM). In this study, we analyzed the electroencephalogram data recorded during resting-state periods to investigate whether HMM and LMM differ with regard to basic resting network activation. Microstate analysis revealed that the activation of the attention network is weakened while the activation of the salience network is enhanced in HMM compared to LMM. This suggests that HMM's attention control is more likely to be guided by surrounding stimuli, which indirectly supports the deficit-producing hypothesis. Moreover, our results revealed that HMM had an enhanced visual network and may feel less comfortable than LMM during resting-state periods with eyes closed, supporting the view that HMM require more sensation seeking than LMM. Taken together, these results indicate that chronic media multitasking leads to HMM allocating attention in a bottom-up or stimulus-driven manner, while LMM deploy a top-down approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiyan Li
- Department of Psychology, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shiwei Liu
- Department of Education, Woosuk University, Wanju, Republic of Korea
| | - Can Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhijie Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China.
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4
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Hirata R, Yoshimura S, Kobayashi K, Aki M, Shibata M, Ueno T, Miyagi T, Oishi N, Murai T, Fujiwara H. Differences between subclinical attention-deficit/hyperactivity and autistic traits in default mode, salience, and frontoparietal network connectivities in young adult Japanese. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19724. [PMID: 37957246 PMCID: PMC10643712 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated with attentional impairments, with both commonalities and differences in the nature of their attention deficits. This study aimed to investigate the neural correlates of ADHD and ASD traits in healthy individuals, focusing on the functional connectivity (FC) of attention-related large-scale brain networks (LSBNs). The participants were 61 healthy individuals (30 men; age, 21.9 ± 1.9 years). The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) were administered as indicators of ADHD and ASD traits, respectively. Performance in the continuous performance test (CPT) was used as a behavioural measure of sustained attentional function. Functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed during the resting state (Rest) and auditory oddball task (Odd). Considering the critical role in attention processing, we focused our analyses on the default mode (DMN), frontoparietal (FPN), and salience (SN) networks. Region of interest (ROI)-to-ROI analyses (false discovery rate < 0.05) were performed to determine relationships between psychological measures with within-network FC (DMN, FPN, and SN) as well as with between-network FC (DMN-FPN, DMN-SN, and FPN-SN). ASRS scores, but not AQ scores, were correlated with less frequent commission errors and shorter reaction times in the CPT. During Odd, significant positive correlations with ASRS were demonstrated in multiple FCs within DMN, while significant positive correlations with AQ were demonstrated in multiple FCs within FPN. AQs were negatively correlated with FPN-SN FCs. During Rest, AQs were negatively and positively correlated with one FC within the SN and multiple FCs between the DMN and SN, respectively. These findings of the ROI-to-ROI analysis were only partially replicated in a split-half replication analysis, a replication analysis with open-access data sets, and a replication analysis with a structure-based atlas. The better CPT performance by individuals with subclinical ADHD traits suggests positive effects of these traits on sustained attention. Differential associations between LSBN FCs and ASD/ADHD traits corroborate the notion of differences in sustained and selective attention between clinical ADHD and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risa Hirata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoinkawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 6068397, Japan
| | - Sayaka Yoshimura
- Faculty of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Organization for Promotion of Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Key Kobayashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Morio Aki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mami Shibata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Ueno
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
- Integrated Clinical Education Center, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takashi Miyagi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naoya Oishi
- Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshiya Murai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoinkawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 6068397, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hironobu Fujiwara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoinkawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 6068397, Japan.
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan.
- Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Society Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Tokyo, Japan.
- The General Research Division, Osaka University Research Center on Ethical, Legal and Social Issues, Kyoto, Japan.
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5
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OZDES A, KARAMAN F. Remembering in the Digital World: Autobiographical Memory in Social Media. PSIKIYATRIDE GUNCEL YAKLASIMLAR - CURRENT APPROACHES IN PSYCHIATRY 2023. [DOI: 10.18863/pgy.1122227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
The use of social media continues to increase in modern cultures in recent years. This new context leads to creating a virtual self, which somewhat differs from the real self. Further, social relations are set and maintained predominantly in this new context. There is no doubt that social media does not only affect individuals' social relations but also their cognitive skills by pulling them into new situations that they are unfamiliar with. In this new context, content coded in social media can be remembered in real life, and content coded in real life can be remembered in social media. This new context, where mostly real-life stories are shared, is likely to strongly affect the autobiographical memory processes of individuals. Past research suggests that social media affects autobiographical memory processes both directly (phenomenological characteristics, functions) and indirectly through cognitive processes (eg, attention, working memory, transitive memory). Studies about its indirect effects indicate that people with limited attention and working memory capacity have difficulty processing the high number of stimuli offered by social media. Given that the long-term memory capacity is not limited, it is plausible to expect that some of the contents are encoded into the memory; however, problems may occur in the storage and retrieval processes. Studies about the direct effect of social media show that the phenomenological characteristics (number of details, accuracy, emotional content) and functions (self, social, directing, therapeutic) of events experienced or shared on social media differ from real-life events. This theoretical review discusses the effects of social media use on cognitive processes related to memory processes and more specifically on the phenomenological and functional characteristics of autobiographical memory. To recognize and prevent potential psychological issues that may emerge in relation to this new setting, it appears essential to comprehend how social media affects autobiographical memory, which is essential for self-perception.
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Kong F, Meng S, Deng H, Wang M, Sun X. Cognitive Control in Adolescents and Young Adults with Media Multitasking Experience: a Three-Level Meta-analysis. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10648-023-09746-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
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7
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Schmidt CR, Schmidt SR, Wilson KA. Individual differences in memory disruption caused by simulated cellphone notifications. Memory 2022; 30:1349-1386. [DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2120203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephen R. Schmidt
- Psychology Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Kara A. Wilson
- Psychology Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
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Zhang J, Xue T, Liu S, Zhang Z. Heavy and light media multitaskers employ different neurocognitive strategies in a prospective memory task: An ERP study. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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9
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Xu S, Wang Z, David P. Social Media Multitasking (SMM) and Well-being: Existing Evidence and Future Directions. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 47:101345. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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10
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Matthews N, Mattingley JB, Dux PE. Media-multitasking and cognitive control across the lifespan. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4349. [PMID: 35288584 PMCID: PMC8919358 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07777-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The exponential rise in technology use over the past decade, and particularly during the COIVD-19 pandemic, has been accompanied by growing concern regarding the consequences of this technology use for our cognition. Previous studies on the influence of technology-multitasking (the use of two or more technologies simultaneously) on cognitive performance have provided mixed results. However, these past studies have generally ignored the considerable developmental trajectories that cognitive abilities undergo across the lifespan. In a large community-based science project we investigated the relationship between media-multitasking and cognitive flexibility (multitasking ability) in participants aged 7–70 years. Higher levels of every-day technology multitasking were associated with higher levels of multitasking performance across an age range in which multitasking ability undergoes developmental change. These findings suggest that age is an important moderator of the relationship between technology use and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Matthews
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4066, Australia.
| | - J B Mattingley
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4066, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4066, Australia.,Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, Canada
| | - P E Dux
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4066, Australia
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11
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Lopez JJ, Orr JM. Effects of media multitasking frequency on a novel volitional multitasking paradigm. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12603. [PMID: 35127277 PMCID: PMC8801180 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The effect of media multitasking (e.g., listening to podcasts while studying) on cognitive processes has seen mixed results thus far. To date, the tasks used in the literature to study this phenomenon have been classical paradigms primarily used to examine processes such as working memory. While perfectly valid on their own, these paradigms do not approximate a real-world volitional multitasking environment. To remedy this, as well as attempt to further validate previously found effects in the literature, we designed a novel experimental framework that mimics a desktop computer environment where a "popup" associated with a secondary task would occasionally appear. Participants could choose to attend to the popup, or to ignore it. Attending to the popup would prompt a word stem completion task, while ignoring it would continue the primary math problem verification task. We predicted that individuals who are more impulsive, more frequent media multitaskers, and individuals who prefer to multitask (quantified with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, a modified version of the Media Use Questionnaire, and the Multitasking Preference Inventory) would be more distracted by popups, choose to switch tasks more often and more quickly, and be slower to return to the primary task compared to those who media multitask to a lesser degree. We found that as individuals media multitask to a greater extent, they are slower to return to the previous (primary) task set and are slower to complete the primary task overall whether a popup was present or not, among other task performance measures. We found a similar pattern of effects within individuals who prefer to multitask. Our findings suggest that overall, more frequent media multitaskers show a marginal decrease in task performance, as do preferential multitaskers. Attentional impulsivity was not found to influence any task performance measures, but was positively related to a preference for multitasking. While our findings may lack generalizability due to the modifications to the Media Use Questionnaire, and this initial study is statically underpowered, this paradigm is a crucial first step in establishing a more ecologically valid method to study real-world multitasking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus J. Lopez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States of America
| | - Joseph M. Orr
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States of America,Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States of America
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Li S, Fan L. Media multitasking, depression, and anxiety of college students: Serial mediating effects of attention control and negative information attentional bias. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:989201. [PMID: 36061274 PMCID: PMC9433771 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.989201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 epidemic provides an environment for frequent media multitasking, which might associate with an increase in depression and anxiety. Since many studies have found that media multitasking negatively affects cognitive capacity, we propose a cognitive perspective to explore how media multitasking may associate with mental health. This study examined the potential mediating role of attention control and negative information attentional bias in the relationship between media multitasking and anxiety and depression. METHODS Participants (n = 567) were recruited from college students in China. They completed an online survey that included the Media Multitasking Inventory (MMI), Attention Control Scale (ACS), Attention to Positive and Negative Information Scale (APNI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). After exploring the correlations between the measures, serial mediation models were examined. RESULTS The results indicated significant positive correlations between media multitasking and anxiety and depression. Media multitasking, anxiety, and depression were negatively correlated with attention focusing, while positively correlated with negative information attention bias. Media multitasking did not correlate with attention shifting. Mediation modeling demonstrated that attention focusing and negative information attention bias played a serial mediating role in the relationship between media multitasking and anxiety and depression. However, the results did not support the serial mediation model through attention shifting and negative information attention bias. CONCLUSION Media multitasking does not directly influence anxiety and depression, while attention focusing and negative information attention bias play serial mediating roles in their relationship. This study highlights the potential cognitive mechanisms between media multitasking and anxiety and depression, providing theoretical support for interventions in individual mental health during the epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Li
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, China
| | - Lifang Fan
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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Luo J, Wang M, Chen L. The Effects of Using a Nature-Sound Mobile Application on Psychological Well-Being and Cognitive Performance Among University Students. Front Psychol 2021; 12:699908. [PMID: 34899458 PMCID: PMC8651610 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.699908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many university students have been struggling with multiple challenges that may cause mental fatigue. Exposure to the natural environment is found to have restorative effects on mental fatigue, which can be explained by its benefits in physiological, psychological, and cognitive aspects. While the natural environment contains both visual and auditory elements, research on the effects of auditory elements, such as nature sounds, is underdeveloped and limited to laboratory settings. It remains unclear what are the effects of exposure to nature sounds in daily life settings. The study was conducted with 71 students from a university, who were randomly assigned to the experimental group using a nature-sound mobile application in daily life and the control group not using the application. After a 4-week exposure to the intervention, the students in the experimental group outperformed their counterparts in the control group on psychological well-being reflected in positive affect, as well as cognitive performance reflected in flow state, attention (in terms of alerting) and working memory (in terms of accuracy and reaction time). The findings reveal the positive impact of exposure to relaxing nature sounds on university students' psychological well-being and cognitive performance, as well as the potential of mobile applications to provide easy exposure to nature sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiutong Luo
- Advanced Innovation Center for Future Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Center for Educational Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai, China.,Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Minhong Wang
- Advanced Innovation Center for Future Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,KM&EL Lab, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Department of Educational Information Technology, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Chen
- Advanced Innovation Center for Future Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Education, School of Educational Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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14
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Du J, Fan W, Choi JN. Non-work-related instant messaging in the workplace and daily task performance: complementarity between social and cognitive resources. JOURNAL OF MANAGERIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/jmp-01-2021-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThe ubiquity of smartphones has changed how people communicate, work and entertain. In view of conservation of resources theory and the positive spillover effect, this study explores the effect of non-work-related instant messaging (IM) in the workplace on daily task performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the experience sampling method to collect day-level data from 75 employees over a period of 10 workdays. Multilevel path analysis is used to test the hypotheses.FindingsNon-work-related IM exerts a significant negative indirect effect on daily task performance through diminished cognitive engagement. This negative indirect effect disappears when social support is high, thereby showing the function of social support as a neutralizer of the detriment of non-work-related IM on daily task performance.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that organizations can neutralize the harm of non-work-related IM in the workplace by promoting social support perceived by employees.Originality/valueThis study advances the technology and management literature by developing and testing a balanced perspective on the ambivalent effect of workplace smartphone use that considers social and cognitive resource implications.
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15
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Cardoso-Leite P, Buchard A, Tissieres I, Mussack D, Bavelier D. Media use, attention, mental health and academic performance among 8 to 12 year old children. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259163. [PMID: 34788306 PMCID: PMC8598050 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise in digital media consumption, especially among children, raises the societal question of its impact on cognition, mental health and academic achievement. Here, we investigate three different ways of measuring technology use--total hours of media consumed, hours of video game play and number of media used concurrently--in 118 eight-to-twelve year-old children. At stake is the question of whether different technology uses have different effects, which could explain some of the past mixed findings. We collected data about children's media uses as well as (i) attentional and behavioral control abilities, (ii) psychological distress, psychosocial functioning, and sleep, and (iii) academic achievement and motivation. While attentional control abilities were assessed using both cognitive tests and questionnaires, mental health and sleep were all questionnaire-based. Finally, academic performance was based on self-reported grades, with motivational variables being measured through the grit and the growth-mindset questionnaires. We present partial correlation analyses and construct a psychological network to assess the structural associations between different forms of media consumption and the three categories of measures. We observe that children consume large amounts of media and media multitask substantially. Partial correlation analyses show that media multitasking specifically was mostly correlated with negative mental health, while playing video games was associated with faster responding and better mental health. No significant partial correlations were observed for total hours on media. Psychological network analysis complement these first results by indicating that all three ways of consuming technology are only indirectly related to self-reported grades. Thus, technology uses appear to only indirectly relate to academic performance, while more directly affecting mental health. This work emphasizes the need to differentiate among technology uses if one is to understand how every day digital consumption impacts human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Cardoso-Leite
- University of Luxembourg, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Science, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Albert Buchard
- Université de Genève, Faculté de Psychologie et Sciences de l’Education (FPSE), Geneva, Switzerland
- Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Isabel Tissieres
- Université de Genève, Faculté de Psychologie et Sciences de l’Education (FPSE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominic Mussack
- University of Luxembourg, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Science, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Daphne Bavelier
- Université de Genève, Faculté de Psychologie et Sciences de l’Education (FPSE), Geneva, Switzerland
- Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland
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16
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Murphy K, Shin M. Frequent media multitasking is not associated with better cognitive flexibility. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2021.2002876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Murphy
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Myoungju Shin
- School of Psychology, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia
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17
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Lara RS, Bokoch R. Cognitive functioning and social media: Has technology changed us? Acta Psychol (Amst) 2021; 221:103429. [PMID: 34695675 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Social media use and its effects on mood have been well researched. However, social media use and its effects on cognition are not as well known. Based on the research studies available, this study hypothesized that those categorized as participating in high social media use would have lower ability to effectively inhibit irrelevant information and higher ability for working memory. The 70 participants in this study were given a questionnaire to assess their level of social media use (low, average, high) and the Stroop and Corsi tests were used as measures of inhibition and working memory, respectively. One-way ANCOVAs were used to analyze the data and control for age, gender, race, and education, as these are common demographics that cognitive tests use to standardize and compare scores. The researchers were unable to find a significant relationship between social media use, working memory functioning, and ability to inhibit information. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S Lara
- California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, 1000 South Fremont Ave., Unit 5, Alhambra, CA 91803, United States of America.
| | - Rebecca Bokoch
- California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, 1000 South Fremont Ave., Unit 5, Alhambra, CA 91803, United States of America.
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Beuckels E, Ye G, Hudders L, Cauberghe V. Media Multitasking: A Bibliometric Approach and Literature Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:623643. [PMID: 34248735 PMCID: PMC8260967 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Media multitasking became increasingly popular over the past decade. As this behavior is intensely taxing cognitive resources, it has raised interest and concerns among academics in a variety of fields. Consequently, in recent years, research on how, when, and why people media multitask has strongly emerged, and the consequences of the behavior for a great variety of outcomes (such as working memory, task performance, or socioemotional outcomes) have been explored. While efforts are made to summarize the findings of media multitasking research until date, these meta, and literature studies focused on specific research subdomains. Therefore, the current study adopted a quantitative method to map all studies in the broad field of media multitasking research. The bibliometric and thematic content analyses helped us identifying five major research topics and trends in the overall media multitasking domain. While media multitasking research started by studying its prevalence, appearance, and predictors, early research within the domain was also interested in the impact of this media consumption behavior on individuals' cognitive control and academic performance. Later on in 2007, scholars investigated the implications of media multitasking on the processing of media- and persuasive content, while its impact on socioemotional well-being received attention ever since 2009. Our analyses indicate that research within the field of media multitasking knows a dominant focus on adolescents, television watching, and cognitive depletion. Based on these findings, the paper concludes by discussing directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Beuckels
- Center of Persuasive Communication, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guoquan Ye
- School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Liselot Hudders
- Center of Persuasive Communication, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Marketing, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Popławska A, Szumowska E, Kuś J. Why Do We Need Media Multitasking? A Self-Regulatory Perspective. Front Psychol 2021; 12:624649. [PMID: 33643153 PMCID: PMC7905209 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the digital world of today, multitasking with media is inevitable. Research shows, for instance, that American youths spend on average 7.5 h every day with media, and 29% of that time is spent processing different forms of media simultaneously (Uncapher et al., 2017). Despite numerous studies, however, there is no consensus on whether media multitasking is effective or not. In the current paper, we review existing literature and propose that in order to ascertain whether media multitasking is effective, it is important to determine (1) which goal/s are used as a reference point (e.g., acquiring new knowledge, obtaining the highest number of points in a task, being active on social media); (2) whether a person's intentions and subjective feelings or objective performance are considered (e.g., simultaneous media use might feel productive, yet objective performance might deteriorate); and finally (3) whether the short- or long-term consequences of media multitasking are considered (e.g., media multitasking might help attain one's present goals yet be conducive to a cognitive strategy that leads to lesser attentional shielding of goals). Depending on these differentiations, media multitasking can be seen as both a strategic behavior undertaken to accomplish one's goals and as a self-regulatory failure. The article integrates various findings from the areas of cognitive psychology, psychology of motivation, and human-computer interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Popławska
- Faculty of Psychology in Sopot, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Sopot, Poland
| | - Ewa Szumowska
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jakub Kuś
- Faculty of Psychology in Wrocław, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wrocław, Poland
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Partitioning switch costs when investigating task switching in relation to media multitasking. Psychon Bull Rev 2021; 28:910-917. [PMID: 33634358 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-021-01895-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of media multitasking - the concurrent use of multiple forms of media - has motivated research on whether and how it is related to various cognitive abilities, such as the ability to switch tasks. However, previous research on the relationship between media multitasking and task-switching performance has yielded mixed results, possibly because of small sample sizes and a confound between task and cue transitions that resulted in switch costs being impure measures of task-switching ability. The authors conducted a large-sample study in which media multitasking behavior was surveyed and task-switching performance was assessed using two cues per task, thereby allowing switch costs to be partitioned into task-switching and cue-repetition effects. The main finding was no evidence of any relationship between media multitasking scores and task-switching effects (or cue-repetition effects), either in correlational analyses or in extreme group analyses of light and heavy media multitaskers. The results are discussed in the context of previous research, with implications for studying media multitasking in relation to task-switching performance.
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Vedechkina M, Borgonovi F. A Review of Evidence on the Role of Digital Technology in Shaping Attention and Cognitive Control in Children. Front Psychol 2021; 12:611155. [PMID: 33716873 PMCID: PMC7943608 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.611155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of digital technology in shaping attention and cognitive development has been at the centre of public discourse for decades. The current review presents findings from three main bodies of literature on the implications of technology use for attention and cognitive control: television, video games, and digital multitasking. The aim is to identify key lessons from prior research that are relevant for the current generation of digital users. In particular, the lack of scientific consensus on whether digital technologies are good or bad for children reflects that effects depend on users' characteristics, the form digital technologies take, the circumstances in which use occurs and the interaction between the three factors. Some features of digital media may be particularly problematic, but only for certain users and only in certain contexts. Similarly, individual differences mediate how, when and why individuals use technology, as well as how much benefit or harm can be derived from its use. The finding emerging from the review on the large degree of heterogeneity in associations is especially relevant due to the rapid development and diffusion of a large number of different digital technologies and contents, and the increasing variety of user experiences. We discuss the importance of leveraging existing knowledge and integrating past research findings into a broader organizing framework in order to guide emerging technology-based research and practice. We end with a discussion of some of the challenges and unaddressed issues in the literature and propose directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vedechkina
- Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Borgonovi
- Social Research Institute, Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Murphy K, Creux O. Examining the association between media multitasking, and performance on working memory and inhibition tasks. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2020.106532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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Le Roux DB, Parry DA. Investigating predictors of online vigilance among university students. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & PEOPLE 2020. [DOI: 10.1108/itp-04-2020-0226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeOnline vigilance is a novel construct which describes individual differences in users' cognitive orientation to online connectedness, their attention to and integration of online-related cues and stimuli and their prioritisation of online communication. Its proponents argue that it is acquired through the processes of instrumental and attentional training that underlie media use behaviours. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of three personal characteristics (emotional intelligence, rumination and identity distress) as predictors of online vigilance in addition to media use behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopted an exploratory frame and followed a survey-methodology to collect data among a sample of university students (n = 812). The resulting data were analysed through a hierarchical multiple regression process in which four models were considered.FindingsThe findings indicate that while media use behaviours (daily smartphone use, social media use, messaging, video watching and media multitasking) predict online vigilance, their combined effect is weak. However, when considering these behaviours in combination with trait rumination and identity distress, a moderate effect is observable.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the findings do not permit causal inference, it suggests that two personal characteristics, trait rumination and identity distress, play an important role in determining an individual's tendency or ability to psychologically disconnect from their online spheres. This provides an initial step towards the theorisation of online vigilance and the identification of individuals who may be at risk of acquiring it.Originality/valueOnline vigilance is a novel construct which has only been investigated in a small number of studies. However, its emphasis on psychological connectedness presents a unique and important development in the context of permanently online, permanently connected living. The present study is the first to explore its association with personal characteristics.
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Kozyreva A, Lewandowsky S, Hertwig R. Citizens Versus the Internet: Confronting Digital Challenges With Cognitive Tools. Psychol Sci Public Interest 2020; 21:103-156. [PMID: 33325331 PMCID: PMC7745618 DOI: 10.1177/1529100620946707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Internet has evolved into a ubiquitous and indispensable digital environment in which people communicate, seek information, and make decisions. Despite offering various benefits, online environments are also replete with smart, highly adaptive choice architectures designed primarily to maximize commercial interests, capture and sustain users' attention, monetize user data, and predict and influence future behavior. This online landscape holds multiple negative consequences for society, such as a decline in human autonomy, rising incivility in online conversation, the facilitation of political extremism, and the spread of disinformation. Benevolent choice architects working with regulators may curb the worst excesses of manipulative choice architectures, yet the strategic advantages, resources, and data remain with commercial players. One way to address some of this imbalance is with interventions that empower Internet users to gain some control over their digital environments, in part by boosting their information literacy and their cognitive resistance to manipulation. Our goal is to present a conceptual map of interventions that are based on insights from psychological science. We begin by systematically outlining how online and offline environments differ despite being increasingly inextricable. We then identify four major types of challenges that users encounter in online environments: persuasive and manipulative choice architectures, AI-assisted information architectures, false and misleading information, and distracting environments. Next, we turn to how psychological science can inform interventions to counteract these challenges of the digital world. After distinguishing among three types of behavioral and cognitive interventions-nudges, technocognition, and boosts-we focus on boosts, of which we identify two main groups: (a) those aimed at enhancing people's agency in their digital environments (e.g., self-nudging, deliberate ignorance) and (b) those aimed at boosting competencies of reasoning and resilience to manipulation (e.g., simple decision aids, inoculation). These cognitive tools are designed to foster the civility of online discourse and protect reason and human autonomy against manipulative choice architectures, attention-grabbing techniques, and the spread of false information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Kozyreva
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
| | - Stephan Lewandowsky
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia
| | - Ralph Hertwig
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
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Relationship between media multitasking and functional connectivity in the dorsal attention network. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17992. [PMID: 33093496 PMCID: PMC7582949 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75091-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
With the development of digital technology, media multitasking behaviour, which is using two or more media simultaneously, has become more commonplace. There are two opposing hypotheses of media multitasking with regard to its impact on attention. One hypothesis claims that media multitasking can strengthen attention control, and the other claims heavy media multitaskers are less able to focus on relevant tasks in the presence of distractors. A total of 103 healthy subjects took part in this study. We measured the Media Multitasking Index (MMI) and subjects performed the continuous performance test. Resting state and oddball task functional MRI were conducted to analyse functional connectivity in the dorsal attention network, and the degree centrality (DC) was calculated using graph theory analysis. We found that the DCs in the dorsal attention network were higher during resting state than during the oddball task. Furthermore, the DCs during the task were positively correlated with the MMI. These results indicated that the DC reduction from resting state to the oddball task in high media multitaskers was attenuated compared with low media multitaskers. This study not only reveals more about the neurophysiology of media multitasking, but could also indicate brain biomarkers of media multitasking behaviour.
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Różańska A, Gruszka A. Current research trends in multitasking: a bibliometric mapping approach. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1742130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Kononova A, Joshi P, Cotten S. Contrary to Myth, Older Adults Multitask With Media and Technologies, But Studying Their Multitasking Behaviors Can Be Challenging. Innov Aging 2019; 3:igz029. [PMID: 31637313 PMCID: PMC6794278 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igz029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives The study's objective was to explore older adults' (aged 65 or older) descriptions of behavior related to multitasking with traditional and newer media/information and communication technologies (ICTs) and perceived benefits of such behavior, along with older adults' preference for research methods used to study their multitasking behaviors. Employing common media-use measures that heavily rely on self-reporting in populations of older adults is challenging, especially given that patterns of media/ICT use are becoming increasingly complex. Cumulatively, people spend more time using media than they are aware of because of the tendency to use some forms of media simultaneously. As cognitive ability deteriorates with age, self-reported recollection of complex patterns of media/ICT use, such as multitasking, among older adults increases the threat to data accuracy.Research Design and Methods: Twenty-eight community-dwelling older adults in a Midwestern U.S. state participated in in-depth interviews (average length was 40 minutes) to discuss their use of traditional and newer media/technologies in combination with other activities and outline methods researchers should use to study such behaviors. Results Participants reported they engaged in multitasking behaviors similar to those of younger generations, with the difference in the higher extent of using traditional media and ICTs. They talked about multitasking with radio and television for "background noise" as being a rewarding experience. They perceived the effects of multitasking to be detrimental to attention and performance and attributed this media-use habit to individual psychological and demographic differences. They preferred ethnographic observation and keeping a paper-and-pencil diary as research methods to study multitasking among their peers. Data-logging methods were less popular because they raised privacy concerns among interviewees. Discussion and Implications Different types of traditional and newer media and technologies could be used differently in situations that require older adults to focus, relax, or be efficient. The findings suggest that future researchers strive for a compromise between data access and data accuracy when they select a research method to study media use among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Kononova
- Department of Advertising + Public Relations, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing
| | - Pradnya Joshi
- College of Business, West Texas A&M University, Canyon
| | - Shelia Cotten
- Department of Media and Information, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing
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Engelhard MM, Kollins SH. The Many Channels of Screen Media Technology in ADHD: a Paradigm for Quantifying Distinct Risks and Potential Benefits. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2019; 21:90. [PMID: 31410653 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-019-1077-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be unusually sensitive to screen media technology (SMT), from television to mobile devices. Although an association between ADHD and SMT use has been confirmed, its importance is uncertain partly due to variability in the way SMT has been conceptualized and measured. Here, we identify distinct, quantifiable dimensions of SMT use and review possible links to ADHD to facilitate more precise, reproducible investigation. RECENT FINDINGS Display characteristics, media multitasking, device notifications, SMT addiction, and media content all may uniquely impact the ADHD phenotype. Each can be investigated with a digital health approach and counteracted with device-based interventions. Novel digital therapeutics for ADHD demonstrate that specific forms of SMT can also have positive effects. Further study should quantify how distinct dimensions of SMT use relate to ADHD. SMT devices themselves can serve as a self-monitoring study platform and deliver digital interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Engelhard
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Lakeview Pavilion, Suite 300, 2608 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
| | - Scott H Kollins
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Lakeview Pavilion, Suite 300, 2608 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
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Abstract
Previous studies suggest that frequent media multitasking - the simultaneous use of different media at the same time - may be associated with increased susceptibility to internal and external sources of distraction. At the same time, other studies found no evidence for such associations. In the current study, we report the results of a large-scale study (N=261) in which we measured media multitasking with a short media-use questionnaire and measured distraction with a change-detection task that included different numbers of distractors. To determine whether internally generated distraction affected performance, we deployed experience-sampling probes during the change-detection task. The results showed that participants with higher media multitasking scores did not perform worse as distractor set size increased, they did not perform worse in general, and their responses on the experience-sampling probes made clear that they also did not experience more lapses of attention during the task. Critically, these results were robust across different methods of analysis (i.e., Linear Mixed Modeling, Bayes factors, and extreme-groups comparison). At the same time, our use of the short version of the media-use questionnaire might limit the generalizability of our findings. In light of our results, we suggest that future studies should ensure an adequate level of statistical power and implement a more precise measure for media multitasking.
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Media multitasking in the classroom: Problematic mobile phone use and impulse control as predictors of texting in the classroom. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00395-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Abstract
Media multitasking is an increasingly prominent behavior in affluent societies. However, it still needs to be established if simultaneous use of several modes of media content has an influence on higher cognitive functions, such as divided attention. In this study, attention shifting was the primary focus, since switching between tasks is assumed to be necessary for media multitasking. Two tasks, the number-letter and local-global task, were used as measures of switching ability. The cognitive reflections task was included to control for possible effects of intelligence. Results from linear regression analyses showed that higher levels of media multitasking was related to lower switching costs in the two attention-shifting tasks. These findings replicate previous findings suggesting that heavy media multitaskers perform better on select measures of task switching. We suggest two possible explanations for our results: media multitasking may practice skills needed for switching between tasks, or high media multitaskers are choosing this style of technology use due to a dominating personality trait in this group.
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Stavrinos D, McManus B, Underhill AT, Lechtreck MT. Impact of adolescent media multitasking on cognition and driving safety. HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 2019; 1:161-168. [PMID: 33709071 DOI: 10.1002/hbe2.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical period in brain development particularly in regions related to attention and executive function (EF). As the use of electronics and media in daily activities increases, one essential question is how adolescent attention development and related executive and speed processes are impacted by media multitasking (MM), or the simultaneous use of media (e.g., text messaging while watching television). This review examines current literature concerning (a) the prevalence of MM during adolescence; (b) relations between MM and adolescent cognitive development, specifically attention, speed of processing, and EF; and (c) real-world implications of MM including adolescents and driver distraction. Finally, future challenges and opportunities in MM research are explored with special attention given to overcoming the limitations of current research in this area and the critical need to advance our understanding of the impact of MM on adolescent driver safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despina Stavrinos
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Benjamin McManus
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Andrea T Underhill
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
| | - Maria T Lechtreck
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
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Lodge JM, Harrison WJ. The Role of Attention in Learning in the Digital Age. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2019; 92:21-28. [PMID: 30923470 PMCID: PMC6430174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
New and evolving technologies provide great opportunities for learning. With these opportunities, though, come questions about the impact of new ways of acquiring information on our brain and mind. Many commentators argue that access to the Internet is having a persistent detrimental impact on the brain. In particular, attention has been implicated as a cognitive function that has been negatively impacted by use of digital technologies for learning. In this paper, we critique this claim by analyzing the current understanding of the cognitive neuroscience of attention and research in educational settings on how technologies are influencing learning. Across the two bodies of literature, a complex situation emerges placing doubt on the claim that the use of digital technologies for learning is negatively affecting the brain. We suggest therefore that a more systemic approach to understanding the relationship between technologies and attention involving researchers examining the relationship at different levels from the laboratory to the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M. Lodge
- School of Education, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia,To whom all correspondence should be addressed: Jason M. Lodge, School of Education, Room 403, Social Sciences Building (24), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - William J. Harrison
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Minds and brains of media multitaskers: Current findings and future directions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:9889-9896. [PMID: 30275312 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1611612115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Media and technology are ubiquitous elements of our daily lives, and their use can offer many benefits and rewards. At the same time, decisions about how individuals structure their use of media can be informed by consideration of whether, and if so how, the mind and brain are shaped by different use patterns. Here we review the growing body of research that investigates the cognitive and neural profiles of individuals who differ in the extent to which they simultaneously engage with multiple media streams, or ‟media multitasking." While the literature is still sparse, and is marked by both convergent and divergent findings, the balance of evidence suggests that heavier media multitaskers exhibit poorer performance in a number of cognitive domains, relative to lighter media multitaskers (although many studies find no performance differences between groups). When evidence points to a relationship between media multitasking level and cognition, it is often on tasks that require or are influenced by fluctuations in sustained goal-directed attention. Given the real-world significance of such findings, further research is needed to uncover the mechanistic underpinnings of observed differences, to determine the direction of causality, to understand whether remediation efforts are needed and effective, and to determine how measurement heterogeneity relates to variable outcomes. Such efforts will ultimately inform decisions about how to minimize the potential costs and maximize the many benefits of our ever-evolving media landscape.
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Seddon AL, Law AS, Adams AM, Simmons FR. Exploring the relationship between executive functions and self-reported media-multitasking in young adults. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2018.1525387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. Seddon
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anna S. Law
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anne-Marie Adams
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona R. Simmons
- Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Hayashi Y, Blessington GP. A behavioral economic analysis of media multitasking: Delay discounting as an underlying process of texting in the classroom. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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