Abstract
Chronic heavy media multitaskers are more susceptible to interference and perform worse on task-switching — suggesting reduced ability to filter irrelevant stimuli and memory representations (Ophir, Nass, & Wagner, 2009).
Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), 15583–15587. DOI
Key findings
- Trait media multitasking — Identifies chronic heavy vs light media multitaskers as a stable individual difference.
- Filter failure: — Heavy multitaskers more susceptible to irrelevant environmental stimuli and irrelevant memory representations.
Application
When a heavy media multitasker (simultaneous email, social feeds, messaging) shows larger switch costs and mixing costs than a light multitasker on the same cognitive control battery — open this cite for the study behind the move.