Much research has suggested that multitasking impairs cognitive outcomes and task performance. Given its negative role in information processing, the vast majority of work has focused on concurrent effects during multitasking (e.g., recall, recognition). However, prior research in the multitasking literature has rarely examined short-term or lingering effects on subsequent tasks. One of the theories concerning this after-effect is ego depletion, a state of reduced self-regulatory resources. To this end, the present study examined concurrent and carry-over effects of multitasking and self-regulation on task performance. Specifically, the current study examined whether the effects of media multitasking with different attentional demands vary by self-regulation (i.e., single-task, multitask with divided attention, multitask with selective attention, multitask with flexible attention) and how such effects occur during and after multitasking. Consistent with predictions, media multitasking decreased performance on subsequent self-control and cognitive tasks. Also, participants in the multitasking condition with flexible attention watched a subsequent movie longer, and they perceived it as more enjoyable than those in the single-task condition. Additionally, findings showed how exerting self-regulation could lead to better performance on both primary and secondary tasks. Findings and implications for research on media multitasking are further discussed.
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