Shan Shuyu, Li Ziying, Fan Yuxin, Zhao Xinru, Lei Xiuya, Chen Yidi
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Shenzhen Campus, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Psych J. 2025 Jul 12. doi: 10.1002/pchj.70038.
Junior high school students frequently multitask with media because of the rapid development of media tools. It is vital to investigate the relationship between junior high school students' individual cognitive abilities and media multitasking to better support their educational and developmental needs. Using a longitudinal design, this study investigated the relationship between media multitasking and divergent thinking, and the mediating role of executive function. Creativity and media were measured using the Development of Adolescent Executive Function Scale, the Alternative Uses Test (AUT), and the Media Multitasking Scale (MMS). Six hundred and nine junior high school students were assessed twice within a six-month period (at T1 and T2). After controlling for grade, gender, and place of origin, T1 media multitasking was negatively correlated with T2 divergent thinking and T2 executive function. Moreover, T2 executive function was negatively correlated with T2 divergent thinking. Middle schoolers' T1 media multitasking significantly negatively predicted their T2 divergent thinking β = -0.1. Vertically, T2 executive function partially mediates the relationship between T1 media multitasking and T2 divergent thinking. High media multitasking reduces individual executive function, whereas low executive function can improve individual divergent thinking. This study reveals the relationship between media multitasking and divergent thinking, as well as the longitudinal mediating mechanism of executive function. Media multitasking can negatively predict divergent thinking, and T2 executive function had a significant longitudinal mediating effect on the relationship between T1 media multitasking and T2 divergent thinking.
由于媒体工具的迅速发展，初中生经常同时进行多项媒体任务。调查初中生的个体认知能力与媒体多任务处理之间的关系，对于更好地满足他们的教育和发展需求至关重要。本研究采用纵向设计，调查了媒体多任务处理与发散性思维之间的关系，以及执行功能的中介作用。使用青少年执行功能发展量表、替代用途测试（AUT）和媒体多任务处理量表（MMS）来测量创造力和媒体使用情况。609名初中生在六个月内接受了两次评估（T1和T2）。在控制了年级、性别和出生地之后，T1媒体多任务处理与T2发散性思维和T2执行功能呈负相关。此外，T2执行功能与T2发散性思维呈负相关。初中生的T1媒体多任务处理显著负向预测了他们的T2发散性思维β = -0.1。纵向来看，T2执行功能部分中介了T1媒体多任务处理与T2发散性思维之间的关系。高媒体多任务处理会降低个体执行功能，而低执行功能可以提高个体发散性思维。本研究揭示了媒体多任务处理与发散性思维之间的关系，以及执行功能的纵向中介机制。媒体多任务处理可以负向预测发散性思维，并且T2执行功能对T1媒体多任务处理与T2发散性思维之间的关系具有显著的纵向中介作用。
