The Effect of Digital Media Use and Multitasking on Graduate Students' Attentional Capabilities

<p>   Digital Natives, or those who grew up surrounded by digital media technologies since childhood, are well-versed in digital media use and utilize digital media daily for many reasons. Studies have begun to unpack the impact that frequent digital media use has on individuals’ mental health. However, fewer studies have examined the link between high amounts of digital media use and cognition, including ways in which digital media use affects facets of attention. The purpose of the current study was to explore the connection between digital media use and digital media multitasking on sustained attention, selective attention, and attentional control (distractibility) in graduate school students. It was predicted that graduate school students classified as heavy digital media multitaskers would report significantly more issues concerning sustained attention, selective attention, and attentional control, in comparison to graduate school students not identified as heavy digital media multitaskers. The Media Multitasking Index (MMI) was used to assess participants’ average digital media use and digital media multitasking habits. The Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) was used to assess participants’ sustained attention and selective attention capabilities, while the Attentional Control Scale (ACS) was used to assess participants’ perceived attentional control capabilities. Results suggest a positive relationship between higher amounts of digital media multitasking and poorer attention, as indicated by the ACS and SART. Although the results were not statistically significant, they indicate important implications regarding the impact that digital media multitasking may have on attentional capabilities in graduate school students. </p>