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.
Highlights
The exponential rise in technology use over the past decade, and during the COIVD-19 pandemic, has been accompanied by growing concern regarding the consequences of this technology use for our cognition
In a large sample, we ask whether engaging in media-multitasking across the lifespan is associated with changes in actual multitasking ability, as assessed by objective measures of cognitive performance
A long history of work in psychology has shown that multitasking, which relies on high-level cognitive control operations[6], leads to costs in behavioral performance[7,8]
Summary
The exponential rise in technology use over the past decade, and during the COIVD-19 pandemic, has been accompanied by growing concern regarding the consequences of this technology use for our cognition. 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. It is estimated that on average American youths aged 8–18 years spend approximately 10 h a day using technology Of this time, 29% is spent engaged in media-multitasking, e.g., playing online games while instant messaging. A long history of work in psychology has shown that multitasking, which relies on high-level cognitive control operations[6], leads to costs in behavioral performance[7,8] For this reason, there has been significant interest within the scientific community and the wider general public concerning the impact on cognition of chronic multimedia exposure[9–13], in children whose brains are still in a critical stage of d evelopment[14]. Our research addresses an important outstanding issue in the field
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