Date of Award

1-1-2023

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology

Content Description

1 online resource (vi, 127 pages) : illustrations (some color)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Zheng Yan

Committee Members

Mariola Moeyaert, Robert L Bangert-Drowns

Keywords

meta-analysis, mobile multitasking, mobile technology, mobile technology distraction, robust variance estimation, Educational psychology

Subject Categories

Educational Psychology

Abstract

Mobile technology distraction refers to cognitive distraction due to both attention dividing and attention switching between off-task mobile technology activities (e.g., texting and emailing) and learning activities (e.g., attending to lectures and reading textbooks). Given the prevalence and complexity of mobile technology distraction, this meta-analysis aims to statistically synthesize empirical findings from 27 experimental studies and estimate the effects of mobile technology distraction on college students’ recall test performance. The overall analysis of combined recall scores indicated a significant negative medium-sized effect of mobile technology distraction, Hedges’s g = -0.59, under the Robust Variance Estimation (RVE) model. The subgroup analysis on lecture recall revealed a greater negative effect, Hedges’s g = -0.70, under the RVE model. The subgroup analysis on reading scores yielded a significant positive effect, Hedges’s g = 0.42, under the fixed effect model, which should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of studies included. The RVE meta-regression model showed that gender was a significant moderator, B = 0.67, after controlling for other moderators. Heterogeneity analyses were performaned to quantify the variation between studies. Funnel plot and Egger’s Regression did not suggest the presence of publication bias. Trim and Fill analyses confirmed outliers and missing studies did not skew the major findings.

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