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

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Media Studies

Background:

• Frequent media multitasking is linked to reduced cognitive performance.
• Cognitive functions like fluid intelligence and executive functioning are crucial for decision-making under objective and ambiguous risk.
• High media multitaskers (HMMs) may underperform compared to low media multitaskers (LMMs) in decision-making tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the decision-making performance of HMMs versus LMMs in laboratory settings.
• To assess cognitive functions and self-reported measures in relation to media multitasking habits.
• To determine if HMMs exhibit deficits in objective vs. ambiguous risk decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Identified HMMs and LMMs using the Media Multitasking Index from 182 participants.
• Administered the Game of Dice Task (GDT) for objective risk and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) for ambiguous risk.
• Utilized cognitive tests for logical reasoning, working memory, information processing, executive functions, and self-report measures for impulsivity and problematic Internet use.

Main Results:

• HMMs performed significantly weaker on the IGT (ambiguous risk) but not the GDT (objective risk).
• HMMs showed slightly decreased performance in logical reasoning and working memory capacity.
• HMMs reported more positive expectancies for media multitasking and higher tendencies toward problematic Internet use.

Conclusions:

• HMMs may struggle with decision-making requiring feedback processing under ambiguous risk.
• HMMs do not appear to be impaired in long-term strategic decision-making or objective risk assessment.
• Findings suggest media multitasking habits can influence specific cognitive and decision-making processes.