Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility

Previous research on media multitasking has often focussed on the frequency with which people perform this type of behaviour. Heavy media multitaskers have been found to differ from light media multitaskers in their performance of tasks involving executive functioning (although these differences hav...

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Autores principales:	Alexandra L. Seddon, Anna S. Law, Anne-Marie Adams, Fiona R. Simmons
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Elsevier 2021
Materias:	Cognitive flexibility Media multitasking Working memory Inhibition Electronic computers. Computer science QA75.5-76.95 Psychology BF1-990
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/4f94924935c74ef8a38ee089937fd938
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:4f94924935c74ef8a38ee089937fd9382021-12-01T05:03:51ZIndividual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility2451-958810.1016/j.chbr.2021.100068https://doaj.org/article/4f94924935c74ef8a38ee089937fd9382021-01-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958821000166https://doaj.org/toc/2451-9588Previous research on media multitasking has often focussed on the frequency with which people perform this type of behaviour. Heavy media multitaskers have been found to differ from light media multitaskers in their performance of tasks involving executive functioning (although these differences have not always been found consistently). The aim of the present study was to explore individuals’ executive functioning in relation to their ability to media multitask (i.e., their ability to retain information presented during the session), rather than their propensity to media multitask. Participants (N = 116, aged 18–25, male N = 32) completed an executive function task battery, inclusive of working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility tasks, followed by a studious media multitasking situation. Individual executive function task performance scores were correlated with media multitasking ability scores. Greater cognitive flexibility was significantly associated with greater ability to media multitask, in terms of retention of information from a media multitasking situation. Furthermore, media multitasking influenced mood, reducing levels of self-reported arousal. Thus, the present study provides some elucidation as to what cognitive characteristics are involved in being able to media multitask, whilst also indicating a possible cognitive mechanism for negative associations found between media multitasking and academic performance.Alexandra L. SeddonAnna S. LawAnne-Marie AdamsFiona R. SimmonsElsevierarticleCognitive flexibilityMedia multitaskingWorking memoryInhibitionElectronic computers. Computer scienceQA75.5-76.95PsychologyBF1-990ENComputers in Human Behavior Reports, Vol 3, Iss , Pp 100068- (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Cognitive flexibility Media multitasking Working memory Inhibition Electronic computers. Computer science QA75.5-76.95 Psychology BF1-990
spellingShingle	Cognitive flexibility Media multitasking Working memory Inhibition Electronic computers. Computer science QA75.5-76.95 Psychology BF1-990 Alexandra L. Seddon Anna S. Law Anne-Marie Adams Fiona R. Simmons Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
description	Previous research on media multitasking has often focussed on the frequency with which people perform this type of behaviour. Heavy media multitaskers have been found to differ from light media multitaskers in their performance of tasks involving executive functioning (although these differences have not always been found consistently). The aim of the present study was to explore individuals’ executive functioning in relation to their ability to media multitask (i.e., their ability to retain information presented during the session), rather than their propensity to media multitask. Participants (N = 116, aged 18–25, male N = 32) completed an executive function task battery, inclusive of working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility tasks, followed by a studious media multitasking situation. Individual executive function task performance scores were correlated with media multitasking ability scores. Greater cognitive flexibility was significantly associated with greater ability to media multitask, in terms of retention of information from a media multitasking situation. Furthermore, media multitasking influenced mood, reducing levels of self-reported arousal. Thus, the present study provides some elucidation as to what cognitive characteristics are involved in being able to media multitask, whilst also indicating a possible cognitive mechanism for negative associations found between media multitasking and academic performance.
format	article
author	Alexandra L. Seddon Anna S. Law Anne-Marie Adams Fiona R. Simmons
author_facet	Alexandra L. Seddon Anna S. Law Anne-Marie Adams Fiona R. Simmons
author_sort	Alexandra L. Seddon
title	Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
title_short	Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
title_full	Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
title_fullStr	Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
title_full_unstemmed	Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
title_sort	individual differences in media multitasking ability: the importance of cognitive flexibility
publisher	Elsevier
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/4f94924935c74ef8a38ee089937fd938
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Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility

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