The Association between Attention Impairments and the Internet and Social Media Usage among Adolescents and Young Adults with Potential Consequences: A Review of Literature

Abstract

In a 2022 report by the Pew Research Center, it was found that approximately 100% of young adults across eighteen countries reported using the Internet except Israel demonstrating the drastic influence. Given adolescents and young adults are the first generations born into this “connected” world this increase also has affected cognitive processes. This paper will focus on reviewing the current literature; specifically investigating the relationship between the cognitive process of attention and the Internet and social media usage. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that the Internet and social media are inventions humans have recently adapted to; thus, future investigations are essential to conduct. The overall cognitive and neurobiological process of attention will be put forward with its relationship with the Internet and social media usage. Since ADHD, attention span, media multitasking and Internet Use Disorder have been related to usage of social media and the internet, these topics will be explored (i.e. Firth et al., 2020 ; Ko et al., 2009 ; Wang et al., 2017 ). Proceeding by the consequences of the possible impairments in attention due to the Internet and social media usage. Even though the consequences will be in academic (i.e. grades, high detention rates), mental and social groups (i.e. depression and human interactions), emphasizing that the lines between these are not distinct but rather blurry because they all are the cause or the effect of each other. The paper will then proceed onto suggestions and future investigation, where the discussion of what further research should be done on this topic will be held. Then, the conclusion part will summarize the general ideas and findings and aim to give a possible explanation to the research question.