Decision-making, cognitive functions, impulsivity, and media multitasking expectancies in high versus low media multitaskers

Abstract

In several studies, individuals who reported to frequently multitask with different media displayed reduced cognitive performance, for example in fluid intelligence and executive functioning. These cognitive functions are relevant for making advantageous decisions under both objective risk (requiring reflection and strategical planning) and ambiguous risk (requiring learning from feedback). Thus, compared to low media multitaskers (LMMs), high media multitaskers (HMMs) may perform worse in both types of decision situations. The current study investigated HMMs and LMMs in a laboratory setting with the Game of Dice Task (GDT; objective risk), the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; ambiguous risk), various tests quantifying cognitive functions (logical reasoning, working memory, information processing, general executive functions), and self-report measures of impulsivity, media multitasking expectancies, and problematic Internet use. From 182 participants, 25 HMMs and 19 LMMs were identified using the Media Multitasking Index. Results show that HMMs compared to LMMs performed weaker on the IGT but not on the GDT. Furthermore, HMMs had slightly decreased performance in tests of logical reasoning and working memory capacity. HMMs tended to increased information processing speed but this difference was not significant. Furthermore, HMMs have more positive expectancies regarding media multitasking and reported higher tendencies toward problematic Internet use. HMMs and LMMs did not differ significantly with respect to impulsivity and executive functions. The results give a first hint that HMMs may have difficulties in decision-making under ambiguous but not under objective risk. HMMs may be more prone to errors in tasks that require feedback processing. However, HMMs appear not to be impaired in aspects of long-term strategic decision-making.

Personality Traits and Family SES Moderate the Relationship between Media Multitasking and Reasoning Performance

“…Media multitasking has undoubtedly become a daily habit nowadays. A number of studies have explored the relationship between media multitasking and cognitive abilities (Müller et al 2021;Ophir et al 2009;Van der Schuur et al 2015), but existing results are…”

“…There is an increasing number of studies exploring the relationship between media multitasking and cognitive abilities (e.g., Müller et al 2021 ; Ophir et al 2009 ; Uncapher and Wagner 2018 ; Van der Schuur et al 2015 ). However, it remains ambiguous how media multitasking relates to cognitive abilities.…”

“…This presents a real challenge for people to filter irrelevant information from the environment given that they mostly attend to both relevant and irrelevant information ( Ophir et al 2009 ; Van der Schuur et al 2015 ), which is likely to impair their cognitive functioning in the long run. According to the scattered attention hypothesis, people who engage in media multitasking more frequently possess lower levels of cognitive abilities than those who less often engage in media multitasking (e.g., Müller et al 2021 ; Ophir et al 2009 ). Consistent with this hypothesis, research shows that heavy multitaskers (HMMs) exhibited worse performance on tasks of executive functions, including updating ( Luo et al 2022 ), inhibition ( Baumgartner et al 2014 ; Murphy and Creux 2021 ), and shifting ( Ophir et al 2009 ) in comparison to light media multitaskers (LMMs).…”

“…The two groups did not differ in their performance on the stop-signal task. Except for executive functions, the frequency of media multitasking was also negatively associated with reasoning performance on the Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices ( Minear et al 2013 ) and the Logical Reasoning Test ( Müller et al 2021 ).…”

Everyday Multitasking Scale (EMS): Exploring the Cognitive and Temperament Correlates of Multitasking in Young People

“…Over the past two decades, studies of real-world multitasking have largely focused on measuring multitasking in the digital realm (e.g., concurrent use of multiple digital devices or platforms simultaneously), using self-report questionnaires such as the Media Multitasking Index (Ophir et al, 2009) and produced mixed results. On the one hand, those with higher levels of media multitasking have displayed poorer cognitive performance such as in attentional control and working memory, but also more mind wandering (e.g., Baumgartner et al, 2017;Müller et al, 2021, Ophir et al, 2009Ralph et al, 2014). On the other hand, studies have found that better media multitasking was related to better multisensory integration, the ability to integrate information from different modalities (e.g., sight and sound; Lui & Wong, 2012).…”