Cellphone separation modulates the effects of working memory load on ex-Gaussian parameters of choice reaction time

TL;DR

This study shows that thinking about being separated from a cellphone can worsen cognitive performance, especially when working memory is taxed.

Contribution

The study introduces cellphone separation as a novel factor influencing working memory and cognitive performance.

Findings

Working memory load reduced cognitive performance across all groups.

The cued separation group showed the largest performance impairments.

Ex-Gaussian μ and τ parameters were sensitive to both working memory load and cellphone separation.

Abstract

Cognitive effects of cellphone dependency among young adults have garnered increasing research attention. While cellphones have been identified as a distractor in daily tasks, related psychological processes remain unclear. As a potential mechanism underlying those effects of cellphones, excessive working memory (WM) load has not yet been well examined. Our study investigated the effects of the mental representation of cellphone separation on WM. Seventy-five participants (Mage = 21.3 years; 55 females, 20 males) were assigned into three groups: the cued separation, natural separation, or control group, and completed a block of choice reaction time (CRT) task, and a dual-task block: the CRT and a concurrent WM task. CRT performance was analyzed using the ex-Gaussian model, providing the parameters μ and τ to reflect lower-order processing and top-down control, respectively. Results showed that WM load reduced cognitive performance, with the cued separation group exhibiting the largest performance impairments, and ex-Gaussian μ and τ were sensitive to WM load and cellphone separation. Our findings suggest that the mental representation of cellphone separation, especially when cued, depletes cognitive resources, and impairs executive functions, which highlight the need for strategies to mitigate the cognitive costs of cellphone dependency, particularly in high-stakes applied contexts.

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