Digital Socialization And Neurocognitive Development Of Adolescents: The Role Of Digital Competence

Abstract

According to digital socialization perspective all the developmental process should be studied taking into account it’s digital “dimension” but different studies of the impact of Internet use on cognitive functions reveal different results. The aim of the study was to reveal relationship between neurocognitive development, digital competence and online self-appraisals in adolescents 11-13 years old and 14-17 years old. 54 adolescents 11-13 years old and 46 adolescents 14-17 years old participated in the study. Methods included neuropsychological examination; Information and Comprehension subscales from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, EU Kids items for user activity and excessive Internet use, Index of Digital Competency and visual scales for assessing general and online self-appraisals. User activity was not related to neuropsychological indexes but adolescents with high user activity demonstrated poorer scores on Information subtest. Excessive Internet use was related to poorer scores on neurodynamic component of mental activity and intelligence subtests (Information subtest in 11-13 years old and Comprehension subtest in 14-17 years old). In 11–13-year-old adolescents, digital competency skills are associated with better regulatory functions, while digital competency knowledge is associated with the intelligence. In adolescents 14-17 years old digital competence is associated with poorer tight hemisphere function.

Keywords: Adolescentsdigital competencedigital socializationexcessive Internet useneurocognitive developmentself-appraisals online

Introduction

Contemporary adolescence spends long time online every day meeting their wide range of risks, demands, opportunities and other experiences (Livingstone et al., 2011) that should affect their psychological development. According to digital socialization perspective (Smith et al., 2015, Soldatova et al., 2017, Stornaiuolo, 2017), all the developmental process should be studied taking into account it’s digital “dimension”. However, empirical studies of the relationship between neurocongnitive functioning and user activity in children and adolescence are controversy and frequently reveal different results. Some researchers suggest that Internet use is associated with poorer characteristics of cognitive development (Agosto, 2002; Benkler, 2006; Wu et al., 2016) while others found positive relationship between time spent online or online games and cognitive development in adults and adolescents (Johnson, 2010; Greenfield, 2019; Fisher et al., 2015; Small et al., 2009).

Problem Statement

We suggest that these different results might be explained by different methodologies both in assessing cognitive functions and user activity. From the one hand, there are not many studies examining the whole neuropsychological functioning (for instance, implementing A. Luria syndrome analysis) and cognitive development that could lead to partial results if there are different relationships between user activity and different neurocognitive functions. From the other hand, user activity seems to be narrow construct that does not reflect content of online activity, interests, competency, risks etc.

Research Questions

The aim of the study was to reveal relationship between neurocognitive development, digital competence and online self-appraisals in adolescents 11-13 years old and 14-17 years old.

Purpose of the Study

We hypothesized that:

1.Relationship between neurocognitive developments and user activity would demonstrate some deficiency in adolescents with high level of user activity comparing to adolescents with medium or low level of user activity but these relationships would be weak.

2.Neurocognitive development would be related to better knowledge and skills of digital competence and better self-appraisals (the last effect would be stronger online than offline).

3.Excessive Internet use is related to poorer neurocognitive functions.

Research Methods

Findings

Conclusion

Although comparisons of adolescents 11-13 and 14-17 years old revealed expectedly better neurocognitive functions in older children, there were only small differences in the two indexes – related to auditory information processing functions and functions of right hemisphere. We could suggest that these functions are more actively developing in these ages. Based on the interaction effect it could be also speculated that 11-17 years old left hemisphere functions are more actively developing in boys. In our sample boys demonstrated wider knowledge (Information) but not comprehension than girls.

As was hypothesized, user activity was not related to neuropsychological indexes but adolescents with high user activity demonstrated poorer scores on Information subtest. It seems reasonable that adolescents spending online most of their free time have less chances to get wide knowledge about the world.

Our second hypothesis was not confirmed although some relationships that were revealed in adolescents 11-13 years old and 14-17 years old are in line with this hypothesis. We could suggest that among 11–13-year-old adolescents, digital competency skills are associated with better regulatory functions, while digital competency knowledge is associated with the intelligence. It is possible that the digital socialization of adolescents in 11-13 years old is changing towards more critical understanding and purposeful investigation than in younger children. Therefore, adolescents with better regulatory functions are more successful in training their digital skills, while adolescents with a higher level of intelligence are more successful in acquiring knowledge about the Internet. In addition, in accordance with the hypothesis of digital socialization, it should be assumed that cognitive development and the formation of digital competence go hand in hand: e.g., online skills can stimulate further online development and, accordingly, the development of regulatory functions, while teenagers who acquire new knowledge about the Internet “train” their awareness and understanding.

At the age of 14-17 years these effects are not revealed suggesting that the search for knowledge in the Internet is not as important activity as at the age of 11-13 years old. Moreover, adolescents 14-17 years old demonstrate relationship between functions of the right hemisphere and the worse digital competence.

Excessive use of the Internet in adolescence is associated with the worse index of neurodynamic component of mental activity and intellectual indicators. On the one hand, neurodynamic difficulties can lead to difficulties in quick “switches” between different information and activities so adolescent becomes more vulnerable to repetition of the same online activity too long. It also could be that neurodynamic difficulties are not so noticeable for adolescent himself and others online so the Internet become the “place” where he doesn’t feel his difficulties. Poorer comprehension and less information can be associated with narrower interests, which also becomes a risk factor for excessive use of the Internet. On the other hand, excessive use of the Internet can increase or provoke neurodynamic difficulties, hindering the development of these functions in offline activities.

Acknowledgments

Research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research, project 19-29-14181 “Multitasking in the structure of digital socialization: cognitive and personality factors of effectiveness in the context of education digitalization”.

References

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