The effects of media multitasking on cognitive control ability

The purpose of the study is to explore the effect of media multitasking, which is doing by using simultaneously or by switching shortly between technological devices such as in daily life, on cognitive control ability. Therefore, in the study, the effects of a media multitasking training program on cognitive control performance were examined via an experimental method. In this experiment, participants were randomly divided into the experiment (high and low multimedia group) and control groups. Experimental groups performed 2 and 7 hours of multitasking according to the multitasking level for two weeks, and the control group performed 7 hours of single tasks. Participants attended cognitive control ability measures before and after the multitasking training. Follow-up measurement was taken from the participants approximately one month after the experiment period. The results showed that the higher multitasking group improved their filtering, task switching, and working memory performances, but their sustained attention performances were reduced. In the follow-up measure, it is observed that among the cognitive control skills that showed a performance change after the exercise program, only the increase in filtering performance continued. As a result, it has been shown that multitasking exercise generally provides a positive transfer effect on cognitive control ability. A long-term improvement has been observed in filtering ability performance, in the high multitasking group. The findings were discussed in the light of literature findings and media multitasking hypotheses.