Supervisors: Mirja Hubert & Alice Grønhøj
Discussants: Sascha Steinmann & Panos Mitkidis

Abstract
Goal-directed behavior is essential for sustaining focus and achieving high task performance, particularly in cognitively demanding tasks that rely on attention and memory processes. This paper explores how digital distractions (e.g., auditory social media notifications) disrupt this link between goal-directed behavior and task performance.

We first conducted a lab experiment, followed by an online experiment. In both experiments, task performance was consistent across conditions; however, participants exposed to auditory social media notifications reported significantly greater task difficulty, mental effort, and perceived distraction compared to other groups. These findings suggest that exposure to auditory social media notifications require increased cognitive effort to sustain task performance, reflecting a greater cognitive cost than other types of distraction.

Based on our findings, an interesting path for future research would be to explore the neurological processes behind memory and mental effort that social media distractions may disrupt during task performance. These insights could help inform strategies to manage digital distractions in work and educational settings, where maintaining focus and cognitive efficiency is essential.

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