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Individual differences in memory disruption caused by simulated cellphone notifications.
- Source :
-
Memory (Hove, England) [Memory] 2022 Nov; Vol. 30 (10), pp. 1349-1386. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Sep 12. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- People who read and dismiss distracting notifications while performing academic or professional tasks may pay a high cognitive price. Multimedia interruptions clearly impair comprehension and memory; however, their impact may depend on the individual's cognitive abilities and experiences. In a pilot study and two experiments, we explored the effects of three levels of distraction from cellphone notifications (no notifications, dismiss notifications and read notifications) on memory for categorised word lists. Individual differences in working memory capacity, attachment to and dependence on cellphones, and media multitasking, texting, video gaming and musical experience were assessed. Memory impairment increased with the level of distraction irrespective of participant scores on the individual difference measures. Dismissing notifications disrupted relational processing more than individual-item processing, whereas reading notifications disrupted both types of processing. Heavy texters demonstrated particularly poor memory performance, whereas individuals with high working memory capacity and high reliance on their cellphones performed relatively well. These results were interpreted in terms of recent multitasking theories and suggest that no one is immune from the disruptive effects of cellphone notifications while performing academic or professional tasks.
- Subjects :
- Humans
Pilot Projects
Memory, Short-Term
Comprehension
Individuality
Cell Phone
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1464-0686
- Volume :
- 30
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Memory (Hove, England)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 36089897
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2022.2120203