This study aims to expand on previous findings and compare the effects of an active break (ten minutes of walking or upper body movement), a digital break (ten minutes of phone use), and no break on memory and attention in medical students after a prolonged period of studying. The List Learning Task, Stroop Test, and Sustained Attention to Response Task will be administered to measure memory, executive function, and attention, respectively. Information on how different types of breaks affect memory and attention may prompt medical students to be more mindful and intentional of the way they spend their time in between studying.
have and regularly use some form of social media
able to perform light physical activity such as walking or upper body movement
no social media usage
color blindness (cognitive tests require color perception)
ADHD or other known conditions that affect attention and/or concentration,
current concussion
Parallel
Physical Activity Study Break
BehavioralA 10-minute walking/upper extremity light movement indoor break from study session
Social Media Study Break
BehavioralParticipants will engage in social media use/engagement during a 10-minute study session break
Sustained Attention to Response Task
Sustained Attention to Response Task is a go/nogo task with infrequent nogo signals to measure attention. Participants are presented with a single digit 1-9 in the middle of the screen in varying font sizes. The digit disappears after a short while and is replaced with a mask (circle with an X). Participants are asked to press the SPACEBAR if any digit other than 3 is presented and to withhold the response if digit 3 is presented.
Stroop Task
The classic Stroop paradigm demonstrates the interference of word meaning on the naming of the color in which the words are written as measured by reaction time/accuracy differences to color-meaning congruent and color-meaning incongruent combinations. Participants are given color words written in color and are asked to indicate the color of the word (not its meaning) by key press as fast as they can without making too many errors. Congruent trials: color word and the color it is presented in are the same Incongruent trials: color word and the color it is presented in are not the same Control trials: colored rectangles.
List Learning Task
The List Learning Task is a basic computer-adapted List Learning Task inspired by the one used by The Repeatable Battery for Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). The script presents the list visually and accepts written input. Participants are presented a list of words (fixed sequence), one at a time, on the computer screen. Once the list has finished, a textbox appears and participants are asked to enter as many of the list words as they remember, in any order. The list learning/recall task is repeated 3 more times before a break (default: 15min). After the break, participants work through an optional delayed recall test and a recognition task: 20 words are presented to them, one by one, and participants have to decide whether the word was part of the orinal list.
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