Effects of Digital Overload on Attention Span among Gen Z

Abstract

The current research discussed the effects of digital overload on the attention span of Gen Z people in the age group of 18-25 years. The sample was chosen based on 300 participants with the convenience and snowball sampling methods. Digital Stress Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, and Cognitive Failures Questionnaire as standardized tools were customized and carried out. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used to analyse data. The results indicated that there were strong positive relationships between digital stress, smartphone addiction, attention deficiency symptoms, and cognitive failures. The findings show that when digital overload is high, the attention span decreases and there is a rise in the incidence of cognitive lapses and there is a necessity to promote a healthy digital usage pattern.