A review of Evidence on the Role of Digital Technology in Shaping Attention and Cognitive Control in Children

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The authors declare that the research was conducted in the
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potential conflict of interest.
Copyright © 2021 Vedechkina and Borgonovi. This is an open-access article
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Frontiers in Psychology | www.frontiersin.org
22
February 2021 | Volume 12 | Article 611155

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Document Outline

• A Review of Evidence on the Role of Digital Technology in Shaping Attention and Cognitive Control in Children
  • Introduction
    • The Importance of the Early Years
    • A Brief Overview of Attention and Cognitive Control
      • Attention
      • Cognitive Control
  • Technology and Cognitive Outcomes: Exploring the Literature
    • Television
      • Attention Engagement During Television Viewing
      • Television Viewing During Infancy and Later Attention Difficulties
      • The What, When, and How: The Importance of Television Quality
      • The Who, Where, and Why: Individual Characteristics, Social, and Family Factors
      • Television Summary
    • Video Games
      • Attention and the Brain During Video-Game Play: Evidence From Training Studies
      • Cognitive Profiles of Video-Gamers
      • The Who and Why: Individual Differences and Other Considerations
      • The What, When, and How: Video-Gaming Beyond the Lab
      • Video Games Summary
    • Media Multitasking
      • Mechanisms of Multitasking
      • Cognitive Profiles of Heavy Media Multitaskers
      • Media Multitasking and Learning
      • The Who: Individual Differences in Multitasking Outcomes
      • The What, When, and How: The Importance of Multitasking Quality and Context
      • Digital Multitasking Summary
  • Discussion
    • Timing and Age Considerations
    • The Degree of User Engagement and User Control
    • The Alternative Use of Time
    • Research Gaps and Future Directions
      • Examining Causality
      • Establishing a Theoretical Foundation
      • Identifying Individual and Contextual Differences
      • Improving Methods and Measurement
  • Author Contributions
  • References