Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
03 Mar 2021-Vol. 3, pp 100068
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore individuals' executive functioning in relation to their ability to media multitask (i.e., their ability of recall information presented during the session), rather than their propensity to media multi-task.
Abstract: 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 recall 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 recall of information from a media multitasking situation. Furthermore, media multitasking had a fatiguing effect on 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 effectively media multitask, whilst also indicating a possible cognitive mechanism for negative associations found between media multitasking and academic performance.
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TL;DR: In this paper , the authors explored the relationship among polychronicity, multitasking behavior and learning performance in an online learning environment and found that college students showed a higher frequency of multitasking behaviors, time tangibility and scheduling preference, and learning satisfaction in multitasking online learning environments than high school students.
Abstract: Background The advancement of digital technology implies the importance of polychronic learning. Since polychronicity is not equivalent to multitasking behavior, they need to be considered separately. However, less research has been explored on how polychronicity is related to multitasking behavior in the educational field. Objective To explore the relationships among polychronicity, multitasking behavior and learning performance (including knowledge acquisition and learning satisfaction) in an online learning environment. Methods The relationship among variables was analyzed from 865 responses obtained from a questionnaire survey, and independent sample t tests and SEM analysis were used to examine the research hypotheses. Results College students showed a higher frequency of multitasking behavior, time tangibility and scheduling preference, and learning satisfaction in multitasking online learning environments than high school students. Additionally, college students were different from high school students on the paths of involvement with people to multitasking behavior (Δ χ2= 5.42, p = 0.02) and scheduling preference to learning satisfaction (Δχ2 = 9.54, p = 0.002). Conclusion The relationship among polychronicity, multitasking behavior and perceived learning performance in an online learning environment varies by student educational stage.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors compared three commonly used neuropsychological measures of cognitive flexibility (CF-Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Trail Making Test (TMT), and Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) in a population of patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders in order to evaluate their convergent validity.
Abstract: Cognitive flexibility (CF) is the ability to adapt cognitive strategies according to the changing environment. The deficit in CF has often been linked to various neurological and psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. However, the operationalization and assessment of CF have not been unified and the current research suggests that the available instruments measure different aspects of CF. The main objective of the present study was to compare three frequently used neuropsychological measures of CF-Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Trail Making Test (TMT) and Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) in a population of patients (N = 220) with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders in order to evaluate their convergent validity. The hypothesis of an underlying latent construct was tested via a confirmatory factor analysis. We used a one-factor CF model with scores from WCST, SCWT and TMT as observed variables. The established model showed a good fit to the data (χ2 = 1.67, p = 0.43, SRMR = 0.02, RMSEA = 0.0, CFI = 1.00). The highest factor loading was found in WCST as CF explained most of the variance in this neuropsychological measure compared to the other instruments. On the other hand, a TMT ratio index and a SCWT interference demonstrated lowest loadings in the model. The findings suggest that not all the frequently used measures share an underlying factor of CF or may capture different aspects of this construct.
References
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TL;DR: A convenient, although not comprehensive, presentation of required sample sizes is providedHere the sample sizes necessary for .80 power to detect effects at these levels are tabled for eight standard statistical tests.
Abstract: One possible reason for the continued neglect of statistical power analysis in research in the behavioral sciences is the inaccessibility of or difficulty with the standard material. A convenient, although not comprehensive, presentation of required sample sizes is provided here. Effect-size indexes and conventional values for these are given for operationally defined small, medium, and large effects. The sample sizes necessary for .80 power to detect effects at these levels are tabled for eight standard statistical tests: (a) the difference between independent means, (b) the significance of a product-moment correlation, (c) the difference between independent rs, (d) the sign test, (e) the difference between independent proportions, (f) chi-square tests for goodness of fit and contingency tables, (g) one-way analysis of variance, and (h) the significance of a multiple or multiple partial correlation.
38,291 citations
"Individual differences in media mul..." refers background in this paper
...However, it is important to consider the magnitude of the associations as correlations would be classified as small to medium (Cohen, 1992)....
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...The magnitude of this difference was found to be medium (Cohen, 1992), suggesting that when individuals are media multitasking (in the wider population) with multiple devices, involving instant messages, it may unsurprisingly take them longer to respond to a message when there is a further element…...
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TL;DR: It is suggested that the introduction of the scales into general hospital practice would facilitate the large task of detection and management of emotional disorder in patients under investigation and treatment in medical and surgical departments.
Abstract: A self-assessment scale has been developed and found to be a reliable instrument for detecting states of depression and anxiety in the setting of an hospital medical outpatient clinic. The anxiety and depressive subscales are also valid measures of severity of the emotional disorder. It is suggested that the introduction of the scales into general hospital practice would facilitate the large task of detection and management of emotional disorder in patients under investigation and treatment in medical and surgical departments.
35,518 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that it is important to recognize both the unity and diversity ofExecutive functions and that latent variable analysis is a useful approach to studying the organization and roles of executive functions.
12,182 citations
7,207 citations
TL;DR: Results demonstrate that media multitasking, a rapidly growing societal trend, is associated with a distinct approach to fundamental information processing, with heavy media multitaskers more susceptible to interference from irrelevant environmental stimuli and from irrelevant representations in memory.
Abstract: 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.
1,244 citations
"Individual differences in media mul..." refers background or methods in this paper
...Specifically, most studies have implemented the Media Multitasking Index (MMI) (Ophir et al., 2009) to explore associations between frequency of media multitasking and executive functioning....
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...Studies investigating media multitasking in relation to executive functioning have predominantly examined how often individuals media multitask, with much research utilising the Media Multitasking Index (MMI) by Ophir et al. (2009)....
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...Gorman & Green, 2016; Moisala et al., 2016; Ophir et al., 2009; Wiradhany & Nieuwenstein, 2017), working memory (Ralph & Smilek, 2017; Sanbonmatsu et al., 2013; Uncapher et al., 2016), and cognitive flexibility (Ophir et al., 2009; Wiradhany & Nieuwenstein, 2017)....
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...That behaviour is known as media multitasking and is the term given to the simultaneous consumption of multiple streams of media-based technology (Baumgartner et al., 2014; Ophir et al., 2009), for example watching T.V. whilst scrolling through or posting on social media sites....
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...For example, Ophir et al. (2009) found no difference in the performance of heavy and light media multitaskers on measures of inhibition such as the Stop-signal task but did find a difference for a measure of attentional control that included distractors (the AX continuous performance task)....
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