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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.10.07.757368

The Cost to Scroll: Short-form Video Use and Episodic Memory

Chen, K. K.·Miller, D. S.·Nguyen, K. K.·Wagner, A. D.·Tran, T. T.
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Abstract

Short-form video platforms expose users to rapid streams of novel content; these features are posited to place heavy demands on cognitive processes. In a preregistered online study, we used device-reported screen time to examine whether short-form video use is associated with sustained attention and episodic memory in participants aged 18-24 yrs (N = 502). During a sustained attention task, participants made indoor/outdoor decisions on scene stimuli, with 90% frequent trials and 10% infrequent trials; the subsequent surprise recognition test assessed memory for these items. Among participants with device-reported TikTok or Instagram use (N = 398), short-form video use was not associated with attention performance. By contrast, greater short-form video use was associated with poorer episodic memory; this relationship was driven by poorer recognition of infrequent-category items. These findings connect heavier short-form video consumption with poorer episodic memory in young adults, showing how daily digital habits co-vary with memory function.

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Chen, K. K., Miller, D. S., Nguyen, K. K., Wagner, A. D., Tran, T. T.. 2026-10-14. The Cost to Scroll: Short-form Video Use and Episodic Memory. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.07.757368

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