Swiping Disrupts Switching: Preliminary Evidence for Reduced Cue-Based Preparation Following Short-Form Video Exposure

• Published in: Behavioral sciences Vol. 15; no. 8; p. 1070
• Main Authors: Luo, Wanying, Zhao, Xinran, Jiang, Bingshan, Fu, Qiang, Zheng, Juan’er
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 06.08.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: Behavior; Brief Report; Executive function; Flexibility; Smartphones
• ISSN: 2076-328X; 2076-328X
• DOI: 10.3390/bs15081070

The rapid rise of short-form video platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels has transformed digital engagement by promoting fragmented, high-tempo swiping behaviors and intense sensory stimulation. While these platforms dominate daily use, their impact on higher-order cognition remains underexplored. This study provides preliminary behavioral experimental evidence that even brief exposure to short-form video environments may be associated with reduced cue-based task preparation, a specific subcomponent of proactive cognitive flexibility. In a randomized between-subjects design, participants (N = 72) viewed either 30 min of TikTok-style content, a neutral documentary, or no video (passive control), followed by a task-switching paradigm with manipulated cue–target intervals (CTIs). As expected, the documentary and control group exhibited significant preparation benefits at longer CTIs, reflected in reduced switching costs—consistent with effective anticipatory task-set updating. In contrast, the short video group failed to leverage extended preparation time, indicating a selective disruption of goal-driven processing. Notably, performance at short CTIs did not differ across groups, reinforcing the interpretation that reactive control remained intact, while proactive preparation was selectively impaired. These findings link habitual “swiping” to disrupted task-switching efficiency—a phenomenon summarized as swiping disrupts switching. These findings suggest that short-form video exposure may temporarily bias attentional regulation toward stimulus-driven reactivity, thereby undermining anticipatory cognitive control. Given the widespread use of short-form video platforms—especially among young adults—these results underscore the need to better understand how media design features interact with cognitive control systems.