Mobile Media Use, Multitasking and Distractibility

Abstract

Anna Law is a Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University. Her research investigates the cognitive demands of multitasking performance, in particular the role of working memory. She also researches how media-multitasking behaviour relates to individual differences in executive function in both adults and children. Rosemary Stock is a Lecturer at the University of West London. Her research focuses on the predictors of student success in higher education. She also conducts research on reasoning and decision making, specifically how these processes are affected by individual differences and cognitive ageing. Abstract Research has demonstrated that learning is impaired if students multitask with media while encountering new information. However, some have gone further, and suggested that media-multitasking (as a general activity) may have a negative impact on cognitive control processes. If this were the case, students who are heavy media-multitaskers generally would have difficulties with goal-directed behaviour, and organising their time effectively to meet their learning goals. The study described here explored links between total levels of self-reported media-multitasking, academic achievement and approaches to learning. Well-established measures of media-multitasking and learning approach were given to 307 students. Total levels of media-multitasking did not relate to either learning approach or academic achievement. However, surface learning approach related negatively to academic achievement, and time spent engaging with printed media. Deep learning approach was positively related to time spent using printed media, email and other computer applications. These findings suggest that patterns of media use differ according to current learning approach, and that these patterns may be more relevant for learning than overall tendency to media-multitask.

Does multitasking with mobile phones affect learning? A review

“…Two review articles have been published to date. In Levine, Waite, and Bowman (2012) review article, they reviewed articles on the effects of mobile media multitasking on academic performance as well as driving, walking, and working. They concluded that media use is positively correlated with trait impulsivity and distractibility but the direction of effects is not clear.…”

Nugu

“…Ames [1] observed that the constant availability often demands multitasking that interferes with the current task such as study/work and social relationships. Levine et al [18] found that mobile phone usage disrupts driving, pedestrian activity, and study/work. Oulasvirta et al [24] and Bohmer et al [4] presented the source of multitasking: the user's habit of checking updates involves brief and frequent content consumption (e.g., checking emails and SNS).…”

“…For example, habitual checking/multitasking disrupts study, work, and social interactions [1,18,24], and consuming stimulating online content (e.g., social media, news) may lead to excessively long usage [16]. However, we still lack a holistic understanding of the interfering usage behavior/contexts, and the common management strategies and their effectiveness.…”

Smartphone Use and Academic Performance: Correlation or Causal Relationship?

“…the time that an individual is active on her/his smartphone per day or per week) affects performance and quality of life has occupied an important place in social debate (see, e.g., Eliahu, ; OECD, ; Samuel, ). This debate is fuelled by a multidisciplinary scientific literature that not only relates smartphone use to reduced performance during driving, walking, and working, but also to poorer study results (Abouk and Adams, ; Andreassen, ; Bhargava and Pathania, ; Lepp et al, ; Levine et al, ). Scholars’ interest in the connection between smartphone use and the latter outcome (poorer study results) is not surprising.…”