Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 13, 2025

Driving Under the Influence: How Music Listening Affects Driving Behaviors
Published on: March 27, 2019
Impact of adolescent media multitasking on cognition and driving safety
Despina Stavrinos1, Benjamin McManus1, Andrea T Underhill1
1Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA.
Abstract:
Adolescence is a critical period in brain development particularly in regions related to attention and executive function (EF). As the use of electronics and media in daily activities increases, one essential question is how adolescent attention development and related executive and speed processes are impacted by media multitasking (MM), or the simultaneous use of media (e.g., text messaging while watching television). This review examines current literature concerning (a) the prevalence of MM during adolescence; (b) relations between MM and adolescent cognitive development, specifically attention, speed of processing, and EF; and (c) real-world implications of MM including adolescents and driver distraction. Finally, future challenges and opportunities in MM research are explored with special attention given to overcoming the limitations of current research in this area and the critical need to advance our understanding of the impact of MM on adolescent driver safety.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Schemas
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....

