Cognitive control in media multitaskers.
Chronic media multitasking is quickly becoming ubiquitous, although processing multiple incoming streams of information is considered a challenge for human cognition. A series of experiments addressed whether there are systematic differences in information processing styles between chronically heavy and light media multitaskers. A trait media multitasking index was developed to identify groups of heavy and light media multitaskers. These two groups were then compared along established cognitive control dimensions. Results showed that heavy media multitaskers are more susceptible to interference from irrelevant environmental stimuli and from irrelevant representations in memory. This led to the surprising result that heavy media multitaskers performed worse on a test of task-switching ability, likely due to reduced ability to filter out interference from the irrelevant task set. These results demonstrate that media multitasking, a rapidly growing societal trend, is associated with a distinct approach to fundamental information processing.
Ophir
Eyal
E
Symbolic Systems Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2050, USA.
Nass
Clifford
C
Wagner
Anthony D
AD
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology; D019212:Multimedia; D010551:Personality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
Hum Brain Mapp. 1994;1(4):293-304
24591198
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996 Dec;53(12):1105-12
8956676
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2005 Nov;31(6):1477-91
16393058
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 May 2;103(18):7186-91
16632612
Nature. 2006 Jun 15;441(7095):876-9
16778890
Percept Psychophys. 1988 Oct;44(4):369-78
3226885
Neuron. 2006 Dec 21;52(6):1109-20
17178412
J Consult Psychol. 1956 Oct;20(5):343-50
13367264
J Abnorm Psychol. 1999 Feb;108(1):120-33
10066998
J Neurosci. 2006 Feb 1;26(5):1429-38
16452666
J Comp Neurol. 2005 Dec 5;493(1):99-110
16254995
Nature. 2005 Nov 24;438(7067):500-3
16306992
Trends Cogn Sci. 2005 Jun;9(6):296-305
15925809
Psychol Res. 2000;63(3-4):212-33
11004877
PLoS One. 2007 Mar 28;2(3):e320
17389911
J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 1994 Oct;20(5):1015-36
7964527
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Aug 1;103(31):11778-83
16868087
Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 Mar;7(3):134-140
12639695
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1995 Jan;21(1):255-60
7876773
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2001 Dec;130(4):746-63
11757878