MEDIA MULTITASKING AND NEUROTICISM INFLUENCES ON SUSTAINED ATTENTION AS OBSERVED THROUGH PUPILLOMETRY IN UTA STUDENTS

Media multitasking (MMT) is becoming more common, but potentially at the cost of memory and attention. Neuroticism, a Big Five inventory measure, could reveal connections to the influence media multitasking may have on attentional control. The present study aimed to observe the impacts of media multitasking and neuroticism on sustained attention, as measured by pupillometry. Over the span of 4 weeks, participants completed several tasks, with the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) being the most notable, as measures of their cognitive performance. Participants’ changes in pupil sizes were recorded, and participants completed several surveys, with The Big Five Inventory and Media Multitasking Inventory being the most notable. Results indicated that neuroticism and media multitasking were not significantly associated with each other. Results also indicated that sustained attention and media multitasking were not significantly associated with each other. Results also indicated that media multitasking and pupil variability were not significantly associated with each other, but there was a moderate negative correlation between both variables, which was unanticipated. These findings suggest that weakly, there could be reason for concern or further investigation in the detrimental effects of media multitasking on sustained attention and what personality traits may fuel such behavior. The findings also suggest that there may be other, more determining factors that potentially contribute to attentional deficits beyond media multitasking and neuroticism measures.