Working memory, fluid intelligence, and impulsiveness in heavy media multitaskers
Open accessAbstract
Ophir, Nass, and Wagner (Proceedings of the National Association of Sciences 106:15583-15587, 2009) reported that individuals who routinely engage in multiple forms of media use are actually worse at multitasking, possibly due to difficulties in ignoring irrelevant stimuli, from both external sources and internal representations in memory. Using the media multitasking index (MMI) developed by Ophir et al., we identified heavy media multitaskers (HMMs) and light media multitaskers (LMMs) and tested them on measures of attention, working memory, task switching, and fluid intelligence, as well as self-reported impulsivity and self-control. We found that people who reported engaging in heavy amounts of media multitasking reported being more impulsive and performed more poorly on measures of fluid intelligence than did those who did not frequently engage in media multitasking. However, we could find no evidence to support the contention that HMMs are worse in a multitasking situation such as task switching or that they show any deficits in dealing with irrelevant or distracting information, as compared with LMMs.
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Two studies found no significant correlation or difference between heavy and light media multitaskers on task switching.
“Two studies found no significant correlation and/or difference between HMMs and LMMs (Baumgartner et al., 2014;Minear, Brasher, McCurdy, Lewis, & Younggren, 2013);”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Minear et al., 2013
Two studies found no significant correlation or difference between heavy and light media multitaskers in filtering irrelevant information.
“Two studies, however, indicated that the correlation with and/or the difference between HMMs and LMMs was insignificant (Baumgartner et al., 2014;Minear et al., 2013).”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Minear et al., 2013
Three studies found no significant correlations or differences between heavy and light media multitaskers in working memory capacity.
“whereas three other studies indicated that the correlations and/or differences between HMMs and LMMs were not significant (Baumgartner et al., 2014;Minear et al., 2013;Ophir et al., 2009).”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Minear et al., 2013
The majority of studies found no evidence for a relationship between media multitasking and task switching or working memory capacity.
“For example, the majority of the studies found no evidence for a relationship between media multitasking and task switching or working memory capacity (e.g., Baumgartner et al., 2014;Minear et al., 2013).”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Minear et al., 2013
Researchers have used several different cut-off scores to differentiate heavy from light media multitaskers.
“researchers have used several different cut-off scores to differentiate heavy media multitaskers from light media multitaskers (Minear et al., 2013).”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Minear et al., 2013
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- Authors
- Minear, M., Brasher, F., McCurdy, M., Lewis, J., & Younggren, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Wyoming (US)
- College of Idaho (US)
- Corresponding author
- Minear, Meredith
- ORCID
- Minear, Meredith
- Venue
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
- Published
- 2013-05-31
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1274-1281
- ISSN
- 1069-9384 (ISSN-L)
- 1531-5320
- OpenAlex
- W2087948978
- Cited by
- 231
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 24.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- media multitasking, working memory, fluid intelligence, impulsivity, self-control, task switching, attention, distraction, cognitive performance
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attention, Communications Media, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Intelligence, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Music, Reaction Time, Video Games, Young Adult
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