Cognitive flexibility in problematic short video use: Evidence from a task-switching paradigm

: Problematic short video use (PSVU) has emerged as a growing behavioral concern, yet its association with cognitive flexibility remains unclear. The present study adopted an exploratory approach to examine cognitive flexibility in individuals with PSVU using a task-switching paradigm. A total of 177 participants were recruited, including 87 individuals with PSVU and 90 control participants. Participants completed cued and fixed task-switching conditions to assess switch costs and preparation effects. Reaction time (RT) data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Results showed that the PSVU group exhibited significantly longer RTs on switch trials and greater switch costs compared with the control group. An exploratory analysis further indicated that the association between fixed-condition switch cost and preparation effect was weaker in the PSVU group. Overall, the findings indicate that PSVU is associated with greater difficulty in task switching, particularly when behavior must be adapted to changing task demands, and raise the possibility of differences in the use of advance task information during task switching.