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Effects of Digital Reading with On-Screen Distractions: An Eye-Tracking Study

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Title: Effects of Digital Reading with On-Screen Distractions: An Eye-Tracking Study
Language: English
Authors: Angelica Ronconi (ORCID 0000-0001-8944-8765), Lucia Mason (ORCID 0000-0001-7134-0510), Lucia Manzione (ORCID 0000-0001-9161-4785), Anne Schüler (ORCID 0000-0001-8799-5028)
Source: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 2025 41(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Eye Movements, Electronic Learning, Computer Uses in Education, Reading, Attention Control, Student Experience, Technology Uses in Education, Reading Processes, Influence of Technology, Mass Media Effects, Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Reading Comprehension, College Students, Expository Writing, Science Materials, Reader Text Relationship, Short Term Memory, Foreign Countries, Prior Learning
Geographic Terms: Italy
DOI: 10.1111/jcal.13106
ISSN: 0266-4909
1365-2729
Abstract: Background: During digital reading on internet-connected devices, students may be exposed to a variety of on-screen distractions. Learning by reading can therefore become a fragmented experience with potentially negative consequences for reading processes and outcomes. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of on-screen distractions, as advertisements and social media notifications, during reading on text processing, perception of cognitive load and text comprehension. Methods: University students (N = 54) participated in a within-participant design. They read two digital science expository texts, one with and the other without distractions. Participants' eye movements were recorded during reading. Process variables were the first-pass fixation time on text areas and the fixation time on distractions. Working memory was taken into account as possible moderator of outcome variables, while controlling for prior knowledge and text topic. Results: Participants spent very short time fixating the distractions. From linear mixed models the main effect of distractions did not emerge for the immediate text processing. Perception of cognitive load and text comprehension were not affected by distractions either. Among individual differences, prior knowledge contributed to text comprehension. Text topic contributed to the perception of cognitive load. Takeaways: The study suggests that simple, static and very usual on-screen distractions during reading do not seem particularly harmful for university students' processing and comprehension of expository texts. Findings indicate the importance of students' top-down attentional control over on-screen distractions not to impair their own comprehension of complex content.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1459008
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Effects of Digital Reading with On-Screen Distractions: An Eye-Tracking Study
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Angelica+Ronconi%22">Angelica Ronconi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8944-8765">0000-0001-8944-8765</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucia+Mason%22">Lucia Mason</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7134-0510">0000-0001-7134-0510</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucia+Manzione%22">Lucia Manzione</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9161-4785">0000-0001-9161-4785</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anne+Schüler%22">Anne Schüler</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8799-5028">0000-0001-8799-5028</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Computer+Assisted+Learning%22"><i>Journal of Computer Assisted Learning</i></searchLink>. 2025 41(1).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 17
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eye+Movements%22">Eye Movements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Uses+in+Education%22">Computer Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading%22">Reading</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention+Control%22">Attention Control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Processes%22">Reading Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Influence+of+Technology%22">Influence of Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mass+Media+Effects%22">Mass Media Effects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Processes%22">Cognitive Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Difficulty+Level%22">Difficulty Level</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Comprehension%22">Reading Comprehension</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Expository+Writing%22">Expository Writing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Materials%22">Science Materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reader+Text+Relationship%22">Reader Text Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short+Term+Memory%22">Short Term Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prior+Learning%22">Prior Learning</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Italy%22">Italy</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/jcal.13106
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  Data: 0266-4909<br />1365-2729
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: During digital reading on internet-connected devices, students may be exposed to a variety of on-screen distractions. Learning by reading can therefore become a fragmented experience with potentially negative consequences for reading processes and outcomes. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of on-screen distractions, as advertisements and social media notifications, during reading on text processing, perception of cognitive load and text comprehension. Methods: University students (N = 54) participated in a within-participant design. They read two digital science expository texts, one with and the other without distractions. Participants' eye movements were recorded during reading. Process variables were the first-pass fixation time on text areas and the fixation time on distractions. Working memory was taken into account as possible moderator of outcome variables, while controlling for prior knowledge and text topic. Results: Participants spent very short time fixating the distractions. From linear mixed models the main effect of distractions did not emerge for the immediate text processing. Perception of cognitive load and text comprehension were not affected by distractions either. Among individual differences, prior knowledge contributed to text comprehension. Text topic contributed to the perception of cognitive load. Takeaways: The study suggests that simple, static and very usual on-screen distractions during reading do not seem particularly harmful for university students' processing and comprehension of expository texts. Findings indicate the importance of students' top-down attentional control over on-screen distractions not to impair their own comprehension of complex content.
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        Value: 10.1111/jcal.13106
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Eye Movements
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electronic Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Uses in Education
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      – SubjectFull: Reading
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      – SubjectFull: Attention Control
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      – SubjectFull: Reading Processes
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      – SubjectFull: Mass Media Effects
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      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Processes
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      – SubjectFull: Italy
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      – TitleFull: Effects of Digital Reading with On-Screen Distractions: An Eye-Tracking Study
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